Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars
by Flamewing80
Summary: The mandalorians have invaded several worlds on the outer rim. Choices blur the line between the light and darkness. The Republic hovers on the verge of a great collapse. A young Jedi Knight, Revan, must face the horrors of war and a great darkness for the Republic. But darkness lurks in his own heart that he must face or be consumed by. Note: This is a re-post, chapters not edited
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic belongs to Bioware Corporation, LocusArts, and EA games.

**Note:** I am reposting this. I took it down for a time but I think the story should be continued even if Revan has been scrapped as a character from cannon. I was mad at Disney for doing so and thus stopped all work on this story, but I want to continue it now if only for the characters and the story itself.

Also I was Flame800900, I changed my user name to flamewing80

Thank you,  
>Flame<p>

* * *

><p>Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars<br>Prologue: A Knight's Mission

A chill passed over Avner. The Force echoed with ice. His breathing slowed further. Darkness pressed on him from all sides. It wasn't the darkness of meditation. The darkness was etched with the chill. The Force vibrated around him. A vision lurked just out of reach.

_I'm here. I'm listening_. The thought brought the sight no closer to Avner. His breathing slowed further. Every breath he took was meant to match the beating of his heart to the pulsation in the Force. _I'm here_.

An image began to leak into Avner's mind. Light exploded before him. Flames engulfed a world. A rush of images filled his mind. A twi'lek woman reached out for him. Her blue eyes were pleading. The world burned before her. Armored figures marched. Their blasters fired on the fleeing civilians.

The woman stretched out her hand to Avner. Her lips moved. No sound came. Flames wrapped around her. NO!

"Avner!"

_Crash_, pain shot through Avner's shoulder as he landed on the hard, stone floor. Several chairs crashed to the floor around him. The ceiling danced in dizzying circles over Avner.

"You were doing it again," an amused voice choked out. It sounded as if Alek was trying not to laugh at Avner's fall. Trying and failing not to laugh, that was.

"That so?" the words trickled from Avner. The ceiling was only just starting to slow from its wild dance.

"The chairs were moving around you."

Shaking his head, Avner wished the ceiling would just stay still. It was hard to think straight. He pressed his palm to his head.

At last the dizziness passed. "Why are you here? I thought you disliked mediation." Avner sat up and looked up at his friend. It was no easy task seeing as Alek stood at a good two meters.

"Master Vandar wants to speak with us," Alek informed him.

"About?" Anver asked as he stood. He tried to smooth the creases in his old robes to no avail.

"I didn't ask. He just told me to get you and said it was important."

"Then we'd best not keep him waiting." Anver walked passed his friend and into the familiar halls of the Jedi temple.

For being on the most populated world in the Republic, the Jedi temple was always peaceful. It'd been built away from many of the major parts of Coruscant. Traffic was directed away from the temple. It was a place of solace, peace, and learning.

"You still set on not taking the trials again to become a master?" Alek asked as they walked.

"I can do more good as Knight than I could as a master, Alek. I'd be attached to one temple most of the time and only get to leave upon occasion."

"Yeah, but you'd have more access to the archives. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"That's a fare point, but still no. I'd rather be able to help people than have access to the archives. There's nothing wrong with that," Avner said with a shrug.

"I guess not."

Silence fell between them. Before too long Avner and Alek arrived at the room Master Vandar was within. The old master was currently between lessons with no younglings here. Normally he would be over seeing the training on Dantooine. He'd come to Coruscant for a brief time before he'd return to the plains world.

"Master Vandar," Avner began as he stopped and bowed to the old master, "you summoned us?"

"Young Knights." Vandar turned his hover-chair so he was facing them. A small smile appeared on his wrinkled, green face. "Alek, I'm sending you to Alderaan. The current ruler has asked for a Jedi to aid him."

"Wouldn't Avner be more suited for this mission, Master?" Alek asked. "Or another consular?"

"Avner was requested by an outer rim world. He's been there before and the government knows him. Alek, the rest of your mission is described here." Master Vandar held out a data-pad to Alek. "You're to head to Alderaan immediately."

"Yes, Master," Alek said with a bow of his head. He glanced at Avner before leaving the two of them

"Avner, there is another reason you're being sent. There is a great disturbance in the Force."

The two of them started out of the room. Avner matched his pace to Vandar's slow hover-chair. "A disturbance, Master?" Could it be what Avner had felt? No, the masters had decided the Order wasn't to get involved with the skirmishes over the outer rim territories. The mandalorians weren't a threat to the Order, thus they wouldn't send Avner, or any knight, to help the outer rim with the invasion forces.

"The council feels there might be a Sith or fallen Jedi taking refuge on the planet," Vandar explained. "There's a great darkness there."

"Why send me?" Avner asked, not meaning to sound as rude as he had. It was no secret, well not to him, that some of the masters saw Avner's eagerness for knowledge dangerous. One master thought he'd turn to the dark side at any moment because Avner sought to further his understanding of the Force.

Of course Vandar didn't answer the question. "Your shuttle departs in an hour," as Vandar spoke he held out a ticket to Avner. "Find the source of the disturbance and report back to the council. If it is a fallen Jedi, the council will send a master to bring them in. You're not to do anything rash, understood?"

"Yes, Master Vandar." Avner bowed his head to Vandar, his jaw tight.

Not do anything? Then why send Avner at all? Wouldn't it be better if Avner delayed the fallen Jedi until the master got there? If there was even a fallen Jedi. In his vision he'd seen Mandalorians not Sith. Could his vision be about the same disturbance the masters sensed?

Taking the ticket from Vandar, thoughts raced around Avner's mind. Was it foolish to think the disturbance could be caused by the mandalorians? The masters were almost… fearful the Sith would return. What if the Sith weren't the threat here?

Avner started off. It was possible Avner was just being paranoid and the vision had nothing to do with this mission. Then why would the Force send it to him at all? There were no coincidences. The masters always said this. There was a possibility Avner had just had a strange dream while meditating, but who dreamed while meditating? He knew he hadn't fallen asleep… what else could it be but a vision?


	2. Part 1

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Part 1: The Revanchists!<p>

_There is no emotion; there is peace. _

"_So the real war's on… So be it."-Alek _

_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. _

"_You see that I was right now, don't you? The truth is written in Blood!"-Revan to Lucien Draay _

_There is no passion; there is serenity. _

"_There was no place for the Order in the wrangling over the outer rim, and there is certainly no place for it in the wider Mandalorian War!"-Master Vrook Lamar _

_There is no chaos; there is harmony. _

"_I won't just stand by and watch as the innocent die!"-Avner (Revan) _

_There is no Death; there is the Force. _

"_These are trials only a Jedi can survive."-Alek _


	3. Chapter 1

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 1<p>

Each step echoed with the patter water on the grim covered floor. Avner's long cloak bellowed around his feet. Air hissed from between Avner's teeth, breath sucked through his thin nose caught more than he'd wanted. The rank odor of the hall struck him as a blaster bolt to the brain. The hall danced before his eyes.

"Do you have it?"

Avner paused. It wasn't the fact someone had spoken close by, but the distinct echo of the voice. Even from where he stood he could make out the fact she wore a full head helmet. There were only two groups which did so: bounty hunters and mandalorians. There were higher odds of meeting bounty hunters anywhere in the galaxy. It was also no secret the mandalorians were moving on this sector. Either way, it wasn't good for Avner. Both groups disliked Jedi with a passion.

"Not yet, but I'm getting it."

Edging closer, it felt as if each step brought doom upon Avner and this world. If mandalorians were here then it meant the Republic forces might withdraw support rather than enter in another pointless skirmish with the mandalorians. Either that or the Republic would and end up losing countless lives. Whenever the mandalorian forces appeared the ships and number of mandalorians would've grown.

"There is no emotion; there is peace," the first words of the mantra came as a breath. Avner stopped. Breathing uneven, Avner repeated the phrase several times until the words blurred together. His heart rate returned to normal, breathing slowing. He peered around the bend.

A tall, well armored figure was just in Avner's view. She wore red plated armor. A crest Avner vaguely recognized as a mandalorian clan was emblazed in white on her shoulder.

"We need it and soon," snapped the mandalorian, her voice etched with barely contained rage. She jabbed a finger into the thick man's chest.

Sweat dripped down the man's face. "I'm getting the data as quickly as I can," he mumbled. "It'll be in your hands before tomorrow."

"It'd better." The mandalorian stepped back and turned from the man. "If it isn't," – she whipped around, drawing her blaster and firing over the man's shoulder in one movement. It was a skill and grace that would've put many Jedi to shame – "I won't miss."

The man fell back. He hit the ground and stared up at her, gaping.

"Shut you're fat mouth or I'll really kill you."

Avner had to discover what was going on here. This had to be the disturbance the masters had sensed. There was nothing else here. No Sith, just this mandalorian and the man, they were the only two Avner had run across to even hint at the disturbance in the force.

There was no way around it. Avner had to act on this. If he didn't there'd be no one to do so. The masters wouldn't help if the disturbance was a mandalorian. Avner took his lightsaber from his belt and tucked it out of sight. His worn robes made him look almost like a poor beggar. It'd have to do.

Avner slumped his shoulder and staggered into the room with a drunken stride. Tripping, he forced himself into the wall, muttering nonsense under his breath.

"What the hell?!" at her shout, several other mandalorians appeared.

Two large men raced over to Avner. A blaster muzzle pressed against his forehead.

"Hey, hey," Avner gave a fake drunken laugh, slurring his words, "there's no need for that." Force, this sucked. Not really the brightest idea Avner had, but what else was he to do? Charge in with his lightsaber ablaze? No, that'd be more like Alek and it'd only serve as a faster means to becoming one with the force.

"Shut it!" snapped one of the mandalorian's.

The other took Avner's arms and forced them behind his back. The first one grabbed Avner by the hair and forced him to tilt his head back.

"What should we do with him?" asked the first to the woman.

"Hmm." She walked over to them and looked at Avner. "He looks like any other poor beggar out there, but there's something familiar about his clothes. Who are you?"

"I wasn't doing anything!" Avner shouted, making his voice go high with a false panic. "Let me go, I just ended up here by mistake!"

Avner's hair was released and – pain shot through Avner's skull. The blaster rifle was pulled back. His head throbbed.

"Answer the question!"

"Ugh." Avner didn't want to give his name so he just groaned instead.

"Maybe he drank himself blind. Too much Tarisian ale, hey?" laughed the first mandalorian.

"Drug him and take him back to base. Make certain he's drugged," the woman commanded.

Avner felt a needle prick the back of his neck. The ground swayed. The force flowed through him, removing the drug in his system. Even as he used the force to remove the effects of the drug, Avner closed his eyes. It was for the best he at least pretended to be affected by it.

"You'd better have it to me in three hours," the woman snarled. "Move out!" she shouted at the other mandalorians.

The rough, uneven ground pulled against his pants. Avner's foot hit a piece of rubble. Avner committed every turn in the hall to memory. The group dragged him further and further from the capital.

"Stop here!" called the woman. "Put the prisoner in that room there. The rest of you, set up camp. We've a mission to complete before the forces arrive."

The group shouted something Avner took as "Yes," in their native tongue. Pain shot through his arm. His eyes opened a slit just in time to see a door hiss closed. He was locked in and even if he wasn't he could just sense a guard on the other side of the door.

Sighing, Avner crossed his legs and stared at the door. Well, this was just great. So far his plan had landed him in a prison behind enemy lines. What fun this was! Avner smiled to himself. At least now he'd be able to listen in on conversations between the mandalorians and perhaps learn what they were planning on doing with this world.

Avner shifted until he was leaning against the door. As time passed, he only caught snippets of conversation none of which had anything to do with the mandalorians' plans for this world or for the republic. Most of it was around hunts and tests of skill. It was rather strange to Revan. He knew mandalorian culture was different from what the Jedi Order, but it'd never occurred to him just how different it was.

"So we're here to get information from that drunken guy?" asked a gruff voice. "Seems like a complete waste of time to me."

"The commander doesn't think he's a drunk or a beggar."

The voices were coming closer. Moving back from the door, Avner debated on if he should pretend to be unconscious or not. The door opened before he could make up his mind.

"See, these look like Jedi robes, don't they?" asked the man in red armor to the one in blue.

"Pft," snorted the one in blue. "Why'd a Jedi be so easy to capture?"

"I'm not a Jedi!" Avner exclaimed, trying to sound like he couldn't believe what these mandalorians were saying. "There's been some huge mistake. I really shouldn't be here. You see I got into a bar fight and-and—"

"Shut it," snapped the red armored Mandie.

Avner skidded back from the well-aimed kick. A weak groan escaped between his lips as he doubled over.

"Yeah, he's defiantly not a Jedi."

"What's your name?" demanded the red one.

Avner didn't respond, just glared up at the mandalorians. If he didn't need proof on the mandalorian activity here, he'd be out of this cell in a heartbeat. The council would never believe what Avner saw without proof. If the mandalorians' goal turned out to be the Republic then Avner needed the proof to get the senate and the Jedi Council to act before then invasion took place; if there even was going to be an invasion.

The flash of red warned Avner another kick was coming. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to roll away. He remained still. The kick shot white hot pain through his body. Avner skidded back into the wall. Gasping, his hands hit the stone floor. He coughed. Blood dripped from his lips to the ground.

"Answer the question, Republic Dog, and you won't be hit again," snarled the red armored mandalorian.

"You'd hit me even if I gave you my name," Avner stated. He looked up at the mandalorian, eyes locking on the visor. "Does beating me increase the respect you gain in your clan or do you just enjoy it?"

He took a step towards Avner, "Why you little—"

"Enough," snapped a voice from the door.

Both men turned. The commander was framed in the door. She leaned against it, her helmet tucked under her arm and cold eyes locked on the two men.

"Kicking him won't get you and answer. Isn't that correct _Jetii_?" she smirked at him.

Avner stood, wiping the blood from mouth. "I've no idea what you're saying. I'm not a Jedi."

"You can keep up the lie, but I was just informed there's a Jedi Knight here by request of the government. Your robes make it obvious this _Jetii _is you."

"There's no way this man's a Jedi," scoffed the man in blue. "He looks like any other guy on the street."

"That drug we gave him should've had him unconscious for another hour," stated the commander. She straightened, auburn hair glowing from the light in the other room. "Either he's the Jedi or just extremely lucky." The commander entered the room.

"There's no such thing as luck," stated Avner. Digging one boot into the ground, Avner called on the force. He took hold of the two men and pulled them forward before flinging them into the wall behind Avner.

The woman pulled out her blaster pistol. Avner leapt to one side as she fired. "What are you doing here?" Avner asked in a calm voice. He recited the code in his head.

"Go to hell," she snapped before firing on him again.

Avner rolled. The smell of burnt cloth filled the air. His goal wasn't escape, even if she knew he was a Jedi. He needed answers.

"Tell me, what do you have planned for this world?" Avner demanded. He sensed the two behind him getting to their feet. Time was up.

One attacked from behind. Avner back flipped over him. The other took hold of Avner in mid flip. Air rushed passed him. He slammed into the ground. Blood flew into the air. Coughing, the room spun in sickening circles around Avner.

"Keep him here. Bind him and make certain he's unarmed."

"With pleasure," the man holding Avner laughed. He took Avner's lightsaber from the back of his belt and tossed it to his partner. "Wonder how much that'd fetch on the market?"

"Probably a lot."

The mandalorians bound Avner's arms before they stood. Chatting in their language, they left the makeshift cell.


	4. Chapter 2

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 2<p>

The cuffs bit into Avner's wrists. He shifted, testing the strength of the bindings over and over again. Sharp, throbbing pain in one wrist warned him he was pushing this too far. Avner sighed and leaned back against the wall. The position was uncomfortable. His arms were bound behind his back and held in an awkward position to allow him to sit.

"Brilliant plan: let yourself get captured by the mandalorians. They'll never suspect you're Jedi, idiot," Avner cursed his stupidity. Of course the mandalorians would've known the difference between Jedi robes and civilian clothes. And even with letting them take him, he'd learned nothing of their plans. It was just a huge waste of time.

Avner sensed several people approaching the cell. He suspected it was a mandalorion with another wave of questions for him. There was no doubt he needed to think of a way out of this mess. So much for being the one who always thought situations through, it was laughable really, but true, he'd screwed up. Alek was sure to never let Avner live this one down; if Avner could get out this mess that was.

The cell door hissed open. Avner looked up in time to see as four people were shoved into the small room.

"Looks like you won't be alone anymore," laughed a mandalorian in blue. "You got your Republic buddies to keep you company now."

Before Avner could move let lone stand, the door shut. He turned his gaze on the four newcomers. Two were human males, there was a male twi'lek, and one human female; all four of them were dressed in Republic uniforms.

"What happened?" Avner shifted so he was kneeling before them. Republic soldiers shouldn't have been so easily captured. Avner looked closer at the group. Most looked injured either from blaster fire or vibroblades.

"Wha—?" The woman looked towards him and her eyes widened. "Master Jedi!" she exclaimed. "How'd the mandies get you?!"

"Long story," Avner stated, trying to avoid having to tell them he let the mandalorians capture him. "Right now we need to focus on getting out of here and finding the Republic."

The four soldier's exchanged looks. "Master Jedi, the Republic pulled out. My patrol was ambushed when we received the order to pull back."

Avner took the news in, a small frown creasing his features. Though it wasn't really a shock the Republic had abandoned this world the fact remained this situation had turned dyer.

"How long ago did the Republic pull out?" Avner asked.

"They should be gone by now," stated one of the human men. "We were given an hour to get back to the spaceports."

"Our time's up by now," stated the woman.

"This means the mandalorians will be celebrating this evening," Avner mussed aloud. He looked away from the soldiers thinking over all of this. If the mandalorians were celebrating it would give them just enough of a chance to make a run for it. "All right, I've an idea."

"Don't leave us hanging," grunted another of human males.

"The mandalorians here have no doubt received the news of a victory which means they're going to celebrate before dealing with us."

"_That's a cheery thought_," stated the twi'lek.

"You misunderstand," Avner shook his head. "This is actually the opportunity we need. The guards will be lessened around the cell when the celebrations start and the ones left will be distracted by the thought of the celebration."

The soldiers nodded, seeming to get where Avner was going with this.

"One of us will pretend to pass out and another will call for help from the guards. When the door opens I'll jump them and lead the guards away from you four. That should give you just enough time to make into the sewers. I'll then double back and close the tunnel so the mandalorians can't follow."

"Where do we go from there?" asked the women.

"I managed to memorize the path the mandalorians took here when I was captured. I can get us back to the capital." From there Avner didn't have a clue what to do. Though this plan did allow time for him to try to gather information on the Mandalorian plans, the task might prove difficult.

"So if you don't catch up to us, what do we do then?"

Avner was about to reply when the door opened. "You're food." Several plates clattered to the floor sending food from them to the floor. The door closed behind the mandalorian.

"Do you think they overheard?" asked second human male.

"No, they weren't close enough at the time," Avner stated. "I'm Avner," he introduced himself.

"Lieutenant Carvan," the first male introduced himself. "I'd shake your hand, but that seems a little hard at the moment," Carvan nodded at the bindings holding Avner's hands. "The mandies don't seem to want to take risks here."

Avner laughed. "So it'd appear." Avner leaned back. "If I don't catch up to you, head away from this place and at the first exit leave the sewers." Damn, it really wasn't a good plan, but it was all Avner had.

"Not a very sound plan," Lieutenant Carvan grunted, grabbing one of the plates, "but I'll take it over nothing."

The four soldiers ate their food in silence. Avner's stomach churned, his dark eyes locked on the door. No matter how much he knew he should eat, the thought only made him feel sick. _There is no emotion; there is peace_, Avner repeated the opening line of the mantra over and over in his mind. He let the words wash over him and keep his expression calm and, he hoped, almost bored.

Time passed, measured only by the movements of those beyond the door and the soft chatter of the four soldiers. Avner sat alone in his corner of the cell. The soldiers clustered around the opposite corner.

Soon Avner sensed all but two guards leave the door. He spread out his awareness. Sure enough most of the mandalorians were gathered together now. The sound of raucous music and drunken laughter was damped only by distance and the thick door. The guards shifted, seeming uneasy.

"It's time." Avner opened his eyes to see the soldiers already moving into position.

Lieutenant Carvan nodded before he gestured to the twi'lek. At once the twi'lek collapsed to the ground. And the woman shouted in shock. She leapt to her feet, calling, "Help, help!"

Avner moved so he was kneeling on the ground. The force built in him. He sensed one of the guards at the door. Now – Avner uncoiled, lunging at the mandalorian the second the door hissed open. Pain shot through him as his shoulder slammed into the heavy armored chest of the mandalorian. _Clang, crash_! The ground shook as he and the mandalorian stuck the ground.

Rolling, Avner felt a pop as he dislocated his shoulder. He twisted his arms under his legs before leaping to his feet. A soft pop and a jolt told him his shoulder had relocated.

The other guard charged. Avner whipped around the blade. The air pulsed as the vibro-blade whooshed passed Avner. Several strands of black hair floated towards the ground.

Avner leapt into the air. His arm wrapped around the Mandalorian's neck. The ground stuck his boots. The bindings snapped as the Mandalorian hit the floor. Whipping around, Avner thrust out his hand. A wave of the force slammed into the other guard.

"Much better," Avner stated, shaking his sore wrists.

"Why you little?" The mandalorian was on his feet in an instant. He charged towards Avner.

Avner leapt back before dancing around the hulking man. "This way." Avner shot away from the mandalorian and into the main room. He raced through the crowd.

Shouts followed Avner as he ran, "The Jedi – the Jedi's escaped!" That was right, follow Avner and ignore the soldiers. Yes, follow him.

Avner, whipped around several tents, blaster fire tore passed him. He had to find his lightsaber! Force, he really hoped the mandalorians hadn't already tried to sell it.

The heat of a shot warned Avner he was cutting this close. He raced through another set of tents. His eyes slid across an older mandalorian, a blaster cannon out, ready to fire. Oh, hell! Avner skidded before sliding to one side. Shots thundered behind him.

Where the hell was his lightsaber? Avner raced through the tents. The force lent him speed until he was shooting by the mandalorians as little more than a blur. He started towards the center of the base and skidded to a stop at the sight of the auburn haired woman.

"Looking for this?" she asked, holding Avner's lightsaber.

Several more mandalorians moved from between the tents until Avner was completely surrounded. His eyes flickered from the woman to the group and back again.

"Keeping him alive is too much of a risk. Kill him!" she ordered.

Avner steadied his stance. "There is no emotion;" he moved his hands, "there is peace." The rubble littering the ground began to shake. His lightsaber moved in the woman's hands. "There is no ignorance; there is knowledge." The rubble shot up from the ground.

The mandalorians stumbled back. Several let out shouts of shock. The rubble flew towards them. Avner lunged towards the woman. His lightsaber flew from her and into his out stretched hand. His heel dug into the ground and he spun as he steadied himself. The low hum of his lightsaber filled the air. A soft, purple glow was cast over the ground.

"How many of you have faced a Jedi before?" Avner asked, his voice even almost bored. His blade was flipped so he held it in an underhanded position. His free hand sent a large piece of fallen metal towards the group with just a flick. Turning, Avner didn't wait for a reply. He bolted.

"Avner!" a shout greeted Avner as he turned into the sewers.

"Get down," Avner warned the soldiers. Whipping around, the force built in him. The rocks around his feet flew into the air. Cracks cascaded through the ceiling. Several of his pursuers hesitated noticing the slight shaking of the ground.

"Get him!"

The ceiling caved as Avner lowered his free hand. Shouts of shock echoed off the walls. One cried above the others, "You're dead, _Jetti_, dead!"

Darkness fell around Avner and the soldiers, punctuated only by the soft light of his lightsaber. Dust settled around them. Silence soon pressed down on the group from all sides. Avner remained still, listening, his awareness spread wide incase a group was on patrol somewhere ahead.

"That was amazing," a voice broke the silence, shattering Avner's concentration. "I've never seen a Jedi do that before," it was the woman who had spoken.

"Then you've not met many Jedi," Avner stated in a calm voice. He turned to the group, holding his lightsaber so they could see. "We should head towards the capital. There might be other soldiers who were left behind."

"You thinking of starting a rebellion?" asked Lieutenant Carvan. In the gloom, Avner only just made out the smallest shake of the man's head. "That's damn suicide."

"Then what was the point of escaping?" Avner looked at the man, his expression calm. "Even if we get out of the sewers, what would you do then? The mandalorians will have all transports under lock down even after their fleet leaves this system."

Only silence greeted Avner's words.

"It doesn't matter just yet as it is. We need to get out of the sewers before worrying about what we will and will not do." Avner stepped through the small group and took the lead.

Silence fell over them once more. The only sound was the patter of water and the louder sound of their boots. The purple blade illuminated very little in the dark passages. At times Avner heard one of the soldiers leap back when a shadow shifted despite the fact there was no one ahead or behind them.

Hours slipped by before Avner found the entrance he'd used to get down here. "Stay here," he warned them and placed a hand on the ladder.

"No," Lieutenant Carvan placed a hand on Avner's wrist.

Their eyes met and all Avner saw was a hard determination. "We go up together."

Avner hesitated. He really should go up alone first and call down if it was safe or not.

"If you stick with us, kid, you need to learn we do things as a unit and not alone."

This went against Avner's better judgment. He sighed, "All right." He stepped down. "But allow me to go up first in case we come under fire. I can guard against ranged attacks."

The lieutenant nodded and Avner started up the ladder. He pressed button at the top. Nothing happened. Just great, the power line had been cut and he knew there was no access nearby. Avner shifted his lightsaber before stabbing it through the metal door. Sparks flew and the small passage was light by them. The door swung open.

Avner crawled up and out of the sewers. A dim, dust filled landscape greeted him. The soft sound of boots against stone paths filled the air. A soft cough sounded behind Avner.

"Damn mandies," muttered the lieutenant as he stepped up beside Avner.

"By the looks of it there's already a resistance group," stated the woman as she exited. She turned and helped the other two out of the sewers.

"_The only question is: where are they_?" asked the twi'lek.

"We'll have to find them," Avner stated, sheathing his lightsaber. "It's our best chance at helping the civilians and this world."

The lieutenant grunted in response, not seeming too pleased by this. The fact remained the five of them alone had little chance of making it out of this situation alive. Plus, while Avner was trapped here he might as well try to learn all he could about why the mandalorians were invading outlying worlds not yet part of the Republic.


	5. Chapter 3

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 3<p>

"This way," Avner whispered to the soldiers.

The four soldiers slipped into the cover of the ruins of a building. Avner peeked around a wall. Just beyond he could see a group of mandalorians. A few stood guard, watching for an attack while the others searched through the building behind them.

"There's a group ahead, we'll have to go around," Avner told the soldiers. He kept his force sight on the mandalorians while he spoke with the soldiers.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Lieutenant Carvan asked.

"No," Avner admitted, "but if we stay here there's a greater chance we'll end up back in a cell or dead." Avner glanced at the mandalorians. "Our best chance is to find the rebellion and join it." If there was one, that was.

At this Lieutenant Carvan snorted again. "A rebellion? The only reason the republic was here is because this is a supply world for Taris."

Avner sighed. "I'm well aware of that. Why the Republic was or was not here doesn't matter right now. There _will_ be a rebellion because it's in people's nature to fight for their homes."

"I'm getting real sick of your attitude, kid," Carvan snarled his eyes flashing in anger.

Another sigh escaped Avner, strands of black hair fell into his eyes by a soft breeze. "You can be sick of me if you want, you can hate me if you want. All that matters is getting to a somewhat safe zone."

"Then what? You'll abandon us here with the slime of this world!" Carvan shouted.

Avner glanced at the mandalorians. The nearest one was looking in their direction, his blue armor dulled by the smoke and his gun held loosely. For how much longer the blaster would be, Avner didn't know.

"Calm down," Avner hissed in a low voice. "If you keep shouting—"

"You'll what?" Carvan demanded.

"Lieutenant," the woman whispered, "the Master Jedi's right. There's a mandalorian—"

"Silence." Carvan shot her a glare. "This is my command and, Jedi or not, you're sure as hell not taking it from me."

"I'm not," Avner protested.

Carvan's lips curled in a snarl. Metal and stone dug into Avner's back when Carvan slammed him into a wall. "Like hell you're not," growled Carvan. "You might've gotten us out from those mandies today; you haven't seen real combat, kid. You've no right to act so high and mighty!"

"Lieutenant," the woman tried to intervene.

"Stay out of this, Susan!" snapped the lieutenant.

A fist came at Avner. He didn't even bother dodging. Pain shot through his jaw. He was released seconds before a knee struck his stomach. Staggering, Avner gasped when the lieutenant took hold of his hair.

"You're nothing more than a child. Hell, you're not even a full on Jedi, are you?!"

"Does beating me really make you feel better about this situation?" Avner asked, looking into Carvan's flashing eyes. The metallic flavor of blood filled Avner's mouth as he looked calmly up at the lieutenant.

"Lieutenant," Susan whispered, backing up.

Avner looked away from Carvan to see several mandalorians had spotted them. Just what they needed: mandalorians to join this little fight of theirs. The mandalorians surrounded the small group. Avner pushed away from Carvan and took hold of his lightsaber.

This wasn't good. There were only five of them and around twenty mandalorians. If Avner had been alone… but he wasn't, there were soldiers here he couldn't be reckless. But if he didn't act – damn it! This really wasn't good.

A complete idiot, that was what Carvan was for fighting over such a stupid matter. Avner's eyes darted from one mandalorian to the next. His knuckles turned white, his grip tight around his lightsaber. There, his eyes locked on the mandalorian dressed in red armor. That one was the leader.

Before Avner could move several grenades were launched from above. Avner leapt before the small group and threw up a hug wave of the force, shielding the soldiers from the blast.

The mandalorians who remained upright started to fire above. This was it. This was who Avner had been looking for. The rebellion. Avner watched as the rebels jumped down and took on the mandalorians. Avner was about to help when several more rebels raced over to over to Avner.

"This way, quickly," the leader told Avner.

Avner hesitated. He straightened a little. Right then he wanted to help the people fighting. Then again he knew if he might be a liability on the field of battle. He wasn't Alek.

"Lead on," Avner said with a slight bow of his head. He sheathed his lightsaber. This was for the best.

xxx

This – this couldn't be happening. Alek stared at the reports coming in. His hand shook. Of all the worlds to be conquered, why'd it have to be Tarnith? The world Avner had been assigned to.

Alek knew Avner was far from weak. He was the strongest Jedi in the whole of the order even if none of the master would admit it. Not to mention the fact Avner was a master in his own rights. Hell, Avner should've been a master. It was just because Avner refused to take the trials that he was still a knight.

In the end, even this knowledge made Alek on edge. His best friend might be in the middle of a warzone. And the fact was Alek wouldn't know for certain if Avner had made it out until he arrived at the temple in a few hours.

What would happen if Avner hadn't gotten out in time? Avner went out of his way to help people more often then naught. Over all the years Alek had known Avner, he knew Avner disliked seeing people suffer. It was in Avner's nature to help. Then there was something about Avner that seemed to make civilians feel safe when he was there. At first meeting Avner could get just about anyone to follow him. Over time, people might break from it but most of the time he earned trust of those around him quickly and could hold onto that trust with ease.

Alek sighed. He really shouldn't be worried about Avner. His friend knew how to take care of himself. The fact remained, most of Alek's life, Avner had been there with him. They'd joined the Jedi Order around the same time and had stayed together since the day they first met.

"It feels unreal," Alek muttered to himself, watching the buildings of Coruscant flying by the window.

Avner on a world, trapped, while a war the Republic wasn't involved in raged around him. And, in the meantime, Alek was here on Coruscant, safe. If anyone should've been trapped there it was Alek. Vandar should've sent Alek on that mission not Avner.

There was still a thin thread of hope. A small chance Avner had gotten off the world before the mandalorians had clamed it. But what if he was there? What if – what if…?

xxx

Carvan whistled beside Avner. "Quite the base you've got here."

Avner looked around. It was a good set up, but, coming for him, that wasn't saying much. Avner knew nothing about war and what people needed beyond the basics. He looked around. There were several supply crates which seemed to contain food and other rations. Then there were even more crates and racks holding blasters, grenades and more.

The main room was large and contained most of the supplies. It wasn't the first place Avner would've chosen to hold the supplies. There were a few people and droids around the crates, sorting through them.

Avner followed the group into the next room. This space was larger and, yet, far more cramped. People were crowded into this room. The sound of coughing mixed with sobs and a soft mummer of conversation. Only two medics moved through the room a droid at their side.

"Avner!"

Looking away from the people, Avner's eyes fell over the prime minister.

"You're safe." The man stopped before Avner and clapped a hand on Avner's shoulder. "When you didn't return, I thought – well, it doesn't matter now. You're here and that's what counts."

"You certainly got this going fast," Avner stated, with a glance at the room.

"Well, when I learned the mandalorians were near to our world I had the military set up the rebellion in case we were targeted. Turns out I was right."

Right? If the man had been smart he'd have had gotten as many people out as he possibly could before the mandalorians had even made a move on the world. Granted, he really wasn't one to talk there. War and battle were foreign to Avner. Sure he'd fought in skirmishes before, but most Jedi could claim as much. He wasn't a soldier.

"Avner, I need a word with you as does my head of security."

Avner glanced at the prime minister. "Of course." He looked back at the people there. Every last one of them was trapped here just like Avner was. In the end the only way out was to fight. But, could he? Avner had done a lot in his twenty-eight years of life. He'd never killed. The Jedi had taught to take a life was always the last resort.

"I should be there as well," Carvan said, moving up so he was face to face with the prim minister.

"Who are you?" the prime minister looked at the lieutenant in confusion.

"Lieutenant Carvan of the Republic navy," Carvan seemed to be biting back the urge to growl.

"Ah, so you were one of the republic soldiers left behind. I see no harm in it after one of the medics has looked you over." The prime minister gestured for Avner to follow him.

Avner glanced at the lieutenant before doing so. "How many did you get off world?" he felt compelled to ask this.

"Not many. Most people who had forewarning didn't want to leave. Tarnith is their homes. It's mine as well. Most people here would defend it to the last man standing."

That just sounded like suicide. Though, Avner shouldn't have been one to judge. He knew the planet had found him on and it was recorded as his homeworld now, but the fact remained no one, not even Avner, knew where he'd been born. Also the fact was he'd been to and stayed in so many different places over the years the fact these people would commit suicide to stay here was just a stupid one.

"What can I do to help?" Avner asked.

The two of them entered a small room with a small conference table in it. "Before that," – the prime minister took a seat – "you should know the Jedi Order had called for you to return the day you left the city."

"That—"

"What?!" Lieutenant Carvan had chosen just then to enter. "So he," – he jabbed his finger at Avner – "gets to leave this world while the rest of us are trapped here."

Both of the prime minister's eyebrows rose. He looked at Carvan green eyes wide with a look between shock and confusion.

"That's not what he said, Lieutenant," Avner stated. "I'm just as stuck here as you are. And I've no intention of leaving even if I could. It goes against my teachings to leave these people to suffer."

Carvan just stared at Avner. He opened his mouth, closed, and repeated, at a loss for worlds.

"Back to my original question: what can I do to help?"

"You know how to heal through the force, right?"

"Yeah." Avner didn't much like where this was going. Oh, he knew how to heal, Master Arren Kae had driven it into him, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it.

"I'd like you to work with the medics."

"I can help in other ways as well," Avner offered, a pit forming in his stomach.

"Right now, what would help the most is you staying out of the battlefield to help the wounded and sick. You're master helped us greatly when you were last here with healing. Also, if you could help with repairing some of the droids, that'd be appreciated as well."

"Of course," Avner muttered, bowing to the three of them.

"You're dismissed, Knight Avner," the prime minister turned so as not to include Avner in the small group.

Avner hesitated. He should really stay here and see if he could help in other ways. A glare from Carven made Avner sigh. Well, it seemed he wasn't welcome here anymore. Pressing the matter of helping more would only cause more harm than good at this point anyway.

Hours slipped by as Avner moved from person to person. He tried his best o ease their pain, drawing on what little knowledge of healing he had. Sure Master Arren Kae had been his first master, but he never paid much attention to the healing aspects of the Force.

When Avner had healed as many people as he could, he took the droids to an upper floor and sat in a blown out window. The cool night whispered around him, pulling at his dark hair. His work was silent and enjoyable. It was just nice to be away from others.


	6. Chapter 4

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 4<p>

The council wasn't going to do anything. As far as they were concerned Avner had died on Tarnith. Alek growled. He restrained the urge to punch the closest wall. It took more restraint than he cared to admit to not punch the wall. Why did it have to be Avner? Why the hell did it have to be him?

"Damn it," Alek muttered and fell back into a chair. He was completely alone in this hall. He turned his gaze on the window. The sun was peeking over the buildings, staining the sky red and gold.

"Alek?" a voice tore Alek from his frustrations.

Alek looked to his left. A Jedi knight around his age stood before him. His long brown hair was pulled back and he looked at Alek with kind, brown eyes. Just behind him was a lanky boy who looked nervously at Alek then at the other Jedi and back.

"I thought I'd find you here when I heard you were back on Coruscant." He sat down beside Alek without asking. "The Jedi on Tarnith, it's Avner, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Alek confirmed, his frustration coming out as a breath. "What's with the kid, Darious?" Alek tried to change the subject. He didn't want to talk about Avner being trapped where no one could help him.

"This is my padawan, Jasper Kane," Darious introduced the boy. His dark eyes didn't move from Alek. "You know, Avner will escape, right?"

"I – wait, since when did you have a padawan?!" Alek demanded. Out of the three of them Avner should've been the first to receive a padawan. Both Alek and Darious knew this. The two of them had agreed on it years ago before they'd been separated on becoming padawans themselves.

Darious sighed. "Since a year ago," Darious stated. "And you just changed the subject, old friend."

Alek grunted in reply. No matter how good Avner was, mastery of the force might not be enough for him to make it out alive. "He will," Alek stated with a glance at the boy. He had short, curly, sandy hair. A long braid hung loosely down the right side of his face.

The boy moved a little way from the two of them and was speaking with a woman. She too wore a padawan braid, but was older and looked as if she was about to become a knight. Her light brown hair was worn short and her blue eyes shown with laughter as she spoke with the younger padawan.

Darious followed Alek's gaze. "Have you ever thought about becoming a master to a padawan, Alek?"

"Not really," Alek confessed. "That seems something Avner would like."

"Perhaps, if he stopped antagonizing most of the Jedi Masters, then it would happen," Darious gave a small smile. "Though asking Avner to stop speaking his mind would be like asking you to throw away your lightsaber."

Alek scowled. "You'd have better luck moving a mountain." He kept his gaze on the two padawans. "Who's the girl your padawan's talking with?"

"Meetra, I believe that's her name. She's here for a time with her master before returning to Dantooine."

"She seems a little old to still be a padawan." Alek sighed and looked away from the two padawans, he returned his gaze to the rising sun. "How long are you here for?"

"Until assigned to another mission," Darious confessed. "Just remember the code, Alek. I know Avner's like a brother to you." Darious clapped Alek's shoulder as he stood. He left Alek sitting there and walked off with his padawan.

Alek glanced in the direction they'd gone. "The code won't do much to help Avner."

xxx

Avner looked out the window. The harsh scent of fire flowed in to him. In the distance the sound of blaster fire rang. Each bolt shot, each life forever changed, sent a jolt of pain straight through Avner. He could feel it. Their lives held by a thin thread of the force before snuffing out in the blink of an eye.

The tools trembled in Avner's hand. He'd worked through the night on the droids, but now – now his mind was distracted by the cries which echoed through the force to him. There was so much pain, so much lose; he couldn't cut himself from it. Even here, safe behind the walls of the rebel base, Avner couldn't pull his thoughts from the battle raging in the city below.

"Master Jedi?"

Avner straightened. The tool slipped from his hand, clattering to the floor before it rolled out of sight. "Yes?" Avner asked. His voice was calm, none of pain he shared with those dying below could be heard.

It was Susan. "I was just coming to see if you needed any help." She picked up the tool and passed it back to Avner.

"I'm almost done," Avner confessed and gestured so she could see most of the droids were gone. "Thank you for the offer." Avner bent over the droid and he'd been working on. He forced himself to clear his mind. The task was far harder than he cared to admit.

"You must've worked through the night to finish all those droids." Susan sat down beside Avner. She looked out the window and shook her head. "I would state you're crazy but I think I'd do the same thing in the long run."

"Why aren't you fighting? If you don't mind me asking?" Avner didn't look at her.

"I'm a medical officer. I was on assignment to help the lieutenant's squad when the call came in to retreat. We left several good men to die that day."

Avner lowered his tools and stared at the droid before him. "More people will die before this ends," he whispered. And there wasn't a thing he could do to stop it. A small sigh escaped him. "How are the injured?"

"Better now," Susan replied and leaned against the nearby beam. "I've seen Jedi healers before. I must admit, I wish I could heal like you do."

"I'm not a healer," Avner stated bluntly. "My first master was and she taught me the basics of it." That was as far as he wanted to go into this matter. He didn't deny the fact Master Arren Kae had been a great master, but they'd argued more than anything else.

"If you're not a healer, what would you say you are?"

Avner shrugged. "Among the order there are different professions just like outside of it. A Jedi can specialize in any aspect of the force from healing to mastery of the 'saber to a deeper understanding of the living Force."

"Yeah… so which are you?"

"I seek to understand all aspects of the force." Avner kept working on the droid before him. It wasn't a really good explanation. Truthfully Avner wasn't really any profession seen among the Order. Most of the masters deemed what Avner did as dangerous. He'd been told many times he was walking a thin line between the light and dark side of the force. That a small push would send him over the end into the darkness and there would be no return.

Avner tended to disagree, which was just another reason he avoided taking the trials to becoming a master. With most of the masters on the high council against him, there was no point in even trying to become a master.

A silence fell between the two of them. Avner didn't want to continue on with the conversation and give away too much of the Order's culture to an outsider. Most people didn't understand Jedi or the ways of the Jedi Order.

"About yesterday," Susan started, "I wanted to thank you. Even if the lieutenant never admits it, we would've been dead now without you."

Avner shook his head. "Don't underestimate yourselves. I'm certain the four of you would've thought of someway to survive." Once more, it was in the nature of all species to fight for survival.

"Perhaps you should take your words to heart," Susan said.

Avner looked at her. A frown pulled at his lips. What did she mean by that? True he would push himself, but that couldn't be her meaning.

"I know you want to be out there with the soldiers. I saw you watching them last night," she confessed with a shrug. "The lieutenant let all of us know you were only asked to help with the healing and repairs. He seemed…" she trailed, glancing at him with a worried look in her eye.

"Grateful I wasn't given more to do?" Avner finished in her stead. "I wasn't planning on waiting here all day for the injured." He continued working on the droid.

"So that's the reason you were working through the night, then?" she asked.

Avner smiled. "In a sense."

"You're not really one for chatter, are you?"

"You want a Jedi to talk a lot?" Avner raised both eyebrows at her. "You'll be disappointed in that." He returned to working on the droid. "I've already spoken more than most of the Jedi masters do."

There was a pause before she asked, "You're not a master?"

"You thought I was? Masters aren't sent this far from the core worlds or temples. Not unless the situation absolutely demands their attention." No, he was a knight and would rather stay a knight where he could be of use to the people of the Republic.

Avner set down the tools and reactivated the droid. It came to life and stood. After a few seconds the droid moved off to do as its programing dictated.

Standing, Avner continued, "You were right, though. I don't plan on standing back and watching as people die." He would never do so. Not as long as he had breath in this body. Until the Force claimed him he wouldn't turn his back on those who needed his help. "Thank you," he bowed his head to her before he started towards the main level.

"For what?" Susan asked as she stood.

"For the chat," Avner stated, with a glance over his shoulder at her. He moved down to the main floor and through the crowd of civilians who were taking shelter here. He looked at each face, taking in their emotions as he passed. Fear, sorrow, pain, and more was mixed into the air with the feeling of death.

"The supplies are running a bit low," the sound of the prime minister's voice came through the open door of his office.

"We'll need to take some from the bucket heads then," the head of security said. "What do you think, Lieutenant?"

"We should head around their main base and enter from two sides. Cut them off in order to take the supplies."

"Do you think you could get our people back to the mandies' base?"

"Of course."

"There's one matter you've over looked," Avner said, standing in the door. "The mandalorians are a nomadic people. The likelihood they'll still be in the sewers is highly unlikely."

"Avner?" the prime minister looked up from the map he'd been going over. "I thought you had droids to repair?"

"Just finished." Avner moved further into the room. "Prime minister, I understand you don't want to trust a Jedi, especially when it was my former master you asked for and not me. But I can be of use to your people." And he wasn't a healer for the force's sake!

The prime minister looked at Avner with a thoughtful gaze. "You're right, I did ask for Master Arren Kae and the council sent you instead, a knight." There was no resentment in his voice. "Your master was healer, so I assumed you were as well."

"I know very little about healing." Avner looked from one person to the next. "If you're planning on going after the mandalorians' food supplies, you'll need a far more solid plan than that. Mandalorians are a war loving people."

"Since when did you become an expert on the mandalorians?" Carvan demanded, glaring at Avner.

"Look, I get the fact you don't like me, lieutenant, but right now personal feelings shouldn't be getting in the way of what the people need."

Before any of them could speak, a man came racing into the room. "Sir, the mandalorians have breached the barricades!"

Avner didn't wait for the others to act. He turned and raced from the room. His long robes whipped out behind him. There was no way he would let all these people be killed. There was just no way.

"Damn Jedi, wait up!" Carvan shouted. His metal boots stuck the ground as he raced after Avner.

Avner could sense several others following close behind. He raced out into the city, following the cries of the dying. He didn't know if he was heading in the right direction. He didn't even know if this was wise. The life force shattering around was all that drove Avner forward.

Before too long, the scent of burning flesh filled the air. Avner skidded to a halt. Ahead he could just make out the signs of battle. There was no time to lose. He raced towards the fighting.

Grabbing his lightsaber, Avner rounded the bend and slid to avoid blaster fire. The purple blade hummed to life. Several shots bounced off his blade into the enemies who had fired.

Avner raced towards the frontline. The force flowed through him. Rubble was lifted from the ground. With a flick of his hand he sent a piece of the fallen building towards the mandalorians. Shouts sounded. The Mandalorians leapt aside. A few weren't so lucky. Avner could feel their pain through the force. It cried around him and sent waves of pain through his mind.

There was no way. Avner blocked a vibroblade. Sparks flew in every direction. There was no way he was going to let the mandalorians make it passed this line. He shoved his hand forward. A wave of force shot from Avner. It slammed into the mandalorians.

Blasters fired behind Avner. Each shot slammed into the disoriented mandalorians. The ones who hadn't died just straightened and started to fire on Avner and the other rebels. There was no end to them.

Several mandalorians charged Avner. Avner leapt back. The silver vibroblade whooshed through the air. The tip came within an inch of his nose. His 'saber greeted the second blade as it was swung towards his neck. Avner skidded back several feet.

Rocks and metal flew towards the two mandalorians. They were flown back several feet into several of their comrades. Avner raced forward. He aimed to sever the mandalorian's arm. Instead his blade slashed across the man's chest. The mandalorian's body seemed to fall in slow motion. Avner stood there. He'd just – but – how?

A mandalorian leapt at Avner from above. Without turning, Avner sent a wave of the force at the mandalorian. It sent him flying.

"Enough," Avner whispered.

The mandalorians were surrounding him.

"Enough!" Avner leapt into the air. The force swelled around him. He held to it, curling into a ball with his blade held out before him. "Enough!" he repeated as if crying this one word to the stars. The energy exploded from him. It swept through the crowd. The mandalorians were sent in every direction.

The few who remained scrambled to their feet. The commander barked orders and the group raced off into the city.

Avner stood there, looking at the bodies around him. He'd killed. He'd not only killed, but killed with the force several times this day. His stomach churned. At the same time he couldn't bring himself to regret what he'd done. It'd been for the people who called this place home. If he hadn't killed these people, those who needed the protection of Avner and the rebellion would've died instead.


	7. Chapter 5

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 5<p>

Avner entered the base behind the soldiers who'd followed him into battle. There were several wounded, but his mind wasn't on this or the fight which had just taken place. His mind was clouded with thoughts on battles to come and how best to get what the rebellion and the people needed. There was little Avner could do on his own. One person couldn't stand against an army, no matter who they were. It took armies to match armies.

Even still, was it possible one person to turn the tide of war? No, it was impossible. One person wasn't enough, but one person could bring word to others and help gather an army to match one which was better trained and far more organized, right?

"Avner."

He was torn from his thoughts at the sound of the prime minister's voice. Avner looked up to see the man racing towards him.

"I would like to speak with you." The prime minister didn't wait for a response. Instead he strode off.

A small sigh escaped Avner. Hopefully the man didn't want to shout at Avner for heading into battle. It was the last thing Avner needed right then. He followed the prime minister to a secluded corner.

"From what I heard you managed to turn the tide of battle in our favor out there." The prime minister looked Avner in the eye. "Perhaps you can be of more use to us than just as a healer." The prime minister clapped Avner's shoulder.

Avner nodded, but he didn't smile or show any emotion. This wasn't a victory. There was only more battle, more death, and more pain ahead. Then there was something more. A feeling that there was more behind this world having been chosen than the fact it supplied work droids to Taris.

"I'll help in any way I can," Avner said with a bow of his head.

The prime minister gave Avner a smile before moving off.

Avner watched him go until he'd vanished into the crowd.

Yes, there was more to the war raging on this world than there appeared to be. Why else attack a world that supplied something so – so useless to a war loving race. Granted the Mandalorians could always turn the factories to ones that made their war droids, but that would take more time than he suspected the Mandalorians wanted it to take on this world in the short term.

Avner moved off into the crowd. People stepped aside, seeming to not want to get into his path. He was thankful for it. Right then, speaking with someone would only distract him from what he needed to do and what he needed to learn.

Pausing near one of the spare rooms holding a console, Avner looked around. Very few people were in sight. He slipped into the room and let out a low breath. No one was there. Granted this wasn't one of the main systems. Wherever the main ones were, this one was too close to the entrance to really be a main one. Though, there was a chance Avner would be able to slice his way into the system.

He crossed over to the console and set to work. It didn't take long for him to access the main parts of the system. There wasn't much in there, only supplies: weapons, food, water, and medical. Though, from what Avner could see the numbers were off.

There should've been enough to go around by the readings here. For some reason there wasn't. And the only people who had access to the stores were the head of security and the prime minister. Nether men would want to betray their people. A frown pulled at Avner's lips.

Someone was approaching.

He hesitated. There was a chance the person wasn't the prime minister or the head of security.

"Avner? What are you doing in here?"

Avner winced. He'd held off too long. "It's nothing," he stated, not looking at Susan as she moved further into the room.

Before he could clear the information, Susan peered around him at the screen. "Records on supplies?" both her eyebrows rose. "Why are you looking at these?"

"Err." Avner wasn't quite sure how to answer that.

"Well?" she looked at him with stern eyes.

"It's just the raid on the barricade didn't make sense. How did they know the defenses? I was actually in here to see something else and came across this instead."

"And?"

"And, what?" Avner frowned. What was with this woman? He couldn't figure what she was getting at with this.

"Oh, come on, you were frowning about something," she glared at Avner. "So what was it that has you worried?"

Avner shifted his weight from one foot to the next. Just telling another about the odd drop in supplies was risky. He'd hoped to confront the prime minister and head of security together about this. Not give away the fact one of them was selling out their people to one of the Republic.

Instead of telling her the truth, Avner laughed and smiled at her. "I'm not worried," he said. "I'll talk to you later, Susan." Avner walked passed her and left the room.

Right then Avner needed to find the prime minister. Even if the man was one of the two people who had access to the food stores, there was no way he could be the one behind it. The prime minister would do anything to protect his people. Selling his people out to the mandalorians was the exact opposite of helping them.

The halls grew less crowded the further into the building Avner walked. It took him a bit to locate where the prime minister had gone. Though, why the man had gone so far from the rest of his people was strange. Since first meeting him, the prime minister had always seemed like the type of person who put his people and his world before himself.

Avner paused before the room he sensed the prime minister in. He lifted his hand, ready to knock.

"Yes, all the supplies have been sent your way."

Avner froze, listening hard to the voice of the prime minister.

"You allowed the Jedi to enter the battle," growled the female mandalorian who'd captured Avner. "I told you to keep that whelp from helping your so called rebellion."

"He left before I had a chance to distract him with another task. It won't happen again."

"No, it won't. You're to kill him and the others on the list I've given you. Then end this rebellion once they're out of the way." There was a pause before she said, "Mandalore wants your factories turned into ones that can build the basilisk droids before we strike Taris."

"Of course, they'll be gone before tomorrow and the resistance will end with them."

Okay, how would that work? Avner wasn't even a major part of the resistance. Even still, it did make sense the mandalorians would want Avner dead. Whoever else the prime minister wanted dead might not be able to stop him.

Before Avner could move, he sensed another door into the room open.

"You're dealing with the mandalorians?!" the head of security shouted. "You're supposed to be the leader of this world. Why the hell would you side with the enemy?"

This wasn't good. Avner opened the door and raced into the room. His lightsaber was in hand. The blade sheathed and every muscle in his body tense.

"The two of you overheard then," the prime minister stated in almost dull tones. "Then there's no point in lying. I've been working with the mandalorians since they started moving on outer rim worlds."

"Why?" Avner asked his voice far calmer than the head of security's had been. "You're people trust you, they needed you now more than ever and you plan on making them work for Mandalore. Why?"

"You're rather naïve, aren't you, Avner?" the prime minister looked Avner in the eye. "Why else, but the power the mandalorians can offer me. Neither of you know what it's like to spend your entire career serving your people only to have them turn on you."

"They weren't turning on you!" the head of security growled. "All that was happening was another was to be elected. The people thought you should spend the time you've left in retirement."

"Silence!" snapped the prime minister. He pressed a button on the console beside him. "Your fates were sealed the second you confronted me. It's time you two died."

At once several droids swarmed into the room. All of them held weapons. They stopped and pointed the blasters at Avner and the head of security.

Avner raced around until he stood beside the head of security. His lightsaber hummed to life. The purple blade cast light over his robes. He could feel the heat of the blade as he held it underhanded as usual. Though, he might actually have to use what Master Zhar was teaching him to make it out of this battle with head of security alive.

"For how long?" the head of security demanded. "For how long have you been dealing with _them_?!"

"Kill them," the prime minister stated, looking at them with a dull almost bored expression.

Several bolts of fire thundered towards them. Avner blocked each with his saber. The blots shot back towards their attacks. Only two met their mark.

Avner flipped his lightsaber so he was no longer holding it underhanded. Defense wasn't going to do much good here. And neither was the force. The room was empty and cramped. The only thing here was the console the prime minister had been using. The lights flickered overhead, casting them into darkness before bursting back to life.

As the lights flickered again, Avner charged. He threw up a barrier of the force around him and swung his 'saber in a wide arch. Metal melted away to the insides of the droid. The clatter filled the air as the droid fell against the grim covered, metal floor.

Avner landed. His 'saber sliced through the next two droids' legs before he leapt to his feet and threw the 'saber. Using the force, he directed the blade through several more of the enemy.

Blaster fire thundered through the air. Avner leapt back. Several bolts bounced off his blade, going off in random directions. He landed beside the head of security. The man was firing into the mass of droids. Even together, there was only a thin chance of making it out this alive.

Just great, now what? Avner glanced towards the entrance. His eyes shot back to where the prime minister stood. There was one way out of this. To kill the prime minister wouldn't stop the droids but it would free up the controls to the droids. It was either that or Avner would have to persuade the man to call the droids off.

Avner raced forward. The 'saber flashed, sparks flew as he blocked a blow. Blaster fire echoed around him. Several of the droids clattered to the floor, smoking. Avner danced back, covering himself and the head of security. Energy bolts flew from his 'saber back the droids who'd fired them.

"We need a plan," the head of security muttered under his breath. "The droids will just keep coming at this rate."

"I'm thinking," Avner whispered back, blocking more shots. There was too little space here and the entrance was now blocked by the battle droids. "We need to stop the prime minister," Avner voiced his idea, "that way we gain control of the droids again."

The head of security nodded. "I agree, but we can't kill him. If we did the people would never learn the truth."

Avner cocked an eyebrow at the other. It was sometimes better for the people not to learn the truth. Avner kept this to himself. It wasn't his place to suggest this. This wasn't his world and it wasn't part of the Republic. As a Jedi, he had no say in what happened here. Even back in the Republic he had no say, or so it felt.

"We need to move together," Avner said. "I'll get an opening and you head for the prime minister."

The head of security nodded.

Avner shoved his free hand forward. A wave the force erupted from his hand, blasting the droids back. A huge wall of them flew towards the prime minister. The force followed through Avner. He charged, nothing more than a blur to those in the room. Leaping into the air, Avner blasted the droids away from the prime minister, forming a path for the head of security.

The head of security raced forward. He tackled the prime minister just as Avner landed. Pain shout through Avner's shoulder. The flash of silver warned him the droid was coming back. Lifting his 'saber, the blades collided. Avner skidded back several feet. Warm blood gushed from the slash on his arm. He ignored it.

"Call the droid off!" the head of security shouted.

Avner could sense the two men struggling only feet from him. He danced back several paces only just avoiding being cut in two by a droid. The pain on his arm warned him that he hadn't escaped unscathed. There were too many droids.

The sound of flesh striking flesh came over the blaster fire. The next moment the droids froze in position.

"Got it!" the head of security leapt to his feet, holding the remote control for the droids.

The prime minister sat up, wiping blood from his lip. Avner pointed his lightsaber so the purple blade rested only inches from the man's throat. "I wouldn't even try to escape," he stated. "Why are the mandalorians here, really?" Avner asked, he gave the slightest of nudges through the force.

"They wanted to the factories," the prime minister choked out before he cursed. "Damn you Jedi!"

"Why?" Avner repeated more forcefully. He pushed harder with the force, careful not to overstep and harm this man by mistake. "The factories are useless to them in the short term. So why?"

"They're not here for the short term." It looked as if the prime minister was about to be sick as he fought against the slightest persuasions with the force.

"What's their plan?"

"To—" he gasped, sweating, "to invade the Republic."


	8. Chapter 6

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 6<p>

Invade… the Republic? Avner stared at the prime minister, not certain he'd heard correctly. He knew the mandalorians were a war loving race and he knew they loved challenges, but why invade the Republic? It was pure suicide.

"Why? What could they gain from an invasion?" Avner asked his voice calm despite the unwanted panic welling up in him. _There is no emotion; there is peace_, he repeated the phrase over and over again until his heart calmed and his mind cleared of the panic. The Republic was fine. There was no way it could be threatened by the mandalorians.

The prime minister laughed. "You tell me, oh great master Jedi!" he laughed again. "Why do you think they're attacking outer rim worlds the Republic has little to no interest in? For the hell of it?!"

Avner shook his head, staring at the man. If what he was saying was true then – then by the time the last of these supplies worlds had been attacked, they would have enough weapons and resources to nearly match the Republic's military forces. Take into account every mandalorian child was trained for war and what it brought would be disastrous.

"You're now just giving me this information," Avner stated. "Why? You work for the enemy of the Republic."

"Why, you ask. Well, let me spell this out for you, _Jedi_, you are no one. Even if you make it off this world, which you won't, who would listen to your warning, _knight_?" He seemed to spit Avner's title at him.

Every muscle in his body seemed to stiffen with shock. If Avner somehow did make it back to the Republic, who would heed his warning? There were few masters who would speak with him: Vandar, Zez-kai Ell, and Kavar were the only three who would speak with him. The others were either too busy, disliked Avner, or he'd only met them in passing.

The lightsaber shook in his hand. The master's aside, the people of the Republic didn't want another war. The last one, though it had been thirty-years-ago, was still all too fresh in everyone's minds. The fear of the Sith returning would ground most people into place on their beliefs that another war wasn't coming. Then there was the fact, Anver didn't like the idea of gaining attention. He'd always been one to stay hidden. If he acted, if he tried to warn the Republic, there was a chance of them listening. Even if they didn't, it wouldn't keep him off the news. A Jedi gunning for a war wasn't exactly common.

"Even still," Avner started his voice oddly calm and lightsaber now steady in his hand, "it doesn't mean I won't try to warn the Council and the people of the Republic."

The more Avner thought on it, the more a war seemed all too likely. Most of the worlds that had been attack were supply worlds for Taris. While the planet wasn't a member world of the Galactic Republic, it was on the verge of becoming one. The Jedi council had already started getting ready to set a temple there to show their support for the decision. If the mandalorians attacked the world after it became a member world, then it would be war declared on not only the Republic but the Jedi Order as well.

"Then, you'll be the one to fall victim to the people's dislike and your Order is nothing but a group of cowards."

Avner lowered his lightsaber. "Cowards?" he cocked an eyebrow at the prime minister. "There are many within the Order who would do anything to protect the Republic and its people."

It was bluff. There was really only one other Avner knew of who would and that was Kavar. Out of all of the masters he was one of the few would be ready to act if the Mandalorians did attack the Republic. Perhaps Avner wouldn't have to do more than just tell Kavar his findings here. The master had far more influence than he did and would be able to warn, not only the Jedi council, but the senate as well.

"Kavar?" the prime minister voiced the master Avner had been thinking of. "He's unlikely to act soon enough to help your _precious_ Republic." The prime minister grinned at him. "He won't act until the Republic's outer rim has fallen, when there is only one option for you Jedi: to head to war."

Avner looked at the man with a close eye, almost distrustful of what he was hearing. "Kavar wouldn't hold back and he wouldn't wait that long." Even as Avner said this a chill raced through him. Kavar wasn't brash; he would wait and listen to the console of the other masters like Vandar and Vrook, both of which would advise against acting even as the Mandalorian attacked the outer rim.

"You're a fool if you believe such," the prime minister spat at Avner's feet.

"Then I'm a fool."

Avner turned away from the man and deactivated his lightsaber. The words were spoken only to bring a close to this conversation. Deep in his heart he knew he couldn't rely solely on Kavar's personality and history to prove what would happen in the future. If and when Avner returned to the Republic and the Order with his findings, he'd see how Kavar would react and if the man would act on the information or wait along with the other masters.

"You should lock him up," Avner stated, "and prepare yourself for how to tell the people of his betrayal." With those words Avner left the room. Before too long he found himself back on the upper level and sat down in the blown out window. A light breeze pulled at his hair.

In the end, what could a knight like him do? He closed his eyes, pushing away the emotions which rose unbidden in him. One knight, one knight known as a trouble maker within the order for his wish to learn more about the Force, could never hope to convince another that war was coming. His only hope, the only hope of the Republic, rested with Kavar.

xxx

"I'm not being assigned to another mission," Alek protested, glaring at the masters assembled before him. "I told you, I'm only here to ask to go after Avner." It was taking a lot for him not to strike at the three masters in the council chambers. As if it wasn't bad enough that these three wanted to assign to another mission right then, the others hadn't even deemed this matter important enough to come.

"Every knight is needed right now," Vrook said in a tight, almost hostile voice.

Alek leapt on his words. "Then we should go after Avner get him back. All knights are needed, right?"

"Avner is capable enough he can take care of himself," Vrook countered. "You are needed on the outer rim, not waiting around here."

Alek glanced at Vandar, who hadn't spoken up against the other master. His eyes then traveled to Kavar, one of the few people Alek couldn't best in the 'saber, and a master Alek had once thought more rational than the other, more pacifistic and "traditional" masters. He'd not said a word against this appointment and seemed to be supporting Vrook in the decision.

"If there's news, we'll update you," Kavar spoke in a calm voice. Kavar was an unimposing man who stood at average height. His blond hair was cut short and his brown eyes were keen as he looked at Alek. This time it seemed Kavar was agreeing with the other two.

"You won't be alone on this mission. Knight Darious and his padawan will be going with you," Vandar added in. "We'll be heading for Taris," he continued. "Once there the three of you will be speaking with the representative of the world."

"It's your job to show them the Jedi are behind them joining the Republic," Kavar continued.

"Don't screw it up," Vrook added as a dismissal.

Alek stood there in the center of the council chamber. The nails of his hands dug into the soft skin of his palm. Turning on his heel, Alek shot one last look at the three masters before he left the council chambers.

"By your expression, you're not too happy with this appointment," Darious stated. He was leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest. Jasper was nowhere to be seen.

"I bet Atris convinced them to leave Avner on Tarnith." Alek shot a look back at the chamber. Though Atris had only been conspicuous by her absence this time.

Darious straightened and lifted his hands in a shrug. "I doubt it. Look," he started with a small smile, "Tarnith is a supply world for Taris… or it was. If Avner manages to escape—"

Alek looked at Darious with narrowed eyes.

"I mean, _when_ he escapes, he'll be able to make it to Taris with no problems. Most shuttles there are meant for traveling to and from Tarnith and Taris on supply runs." He smiled. "In our spare time we could look around and see if Avner managed to make it to Taris."

That was if Avner had managed to escape and would head for Taris. Though, why he would, Alek didn't know. Taris was a backwater world that was trying to enter the Republic. Alek didn't know much about the world other than what had been on the news as of late. It was the topic which had dominated the holo-vids for awhile now. All of it would go away a few weeks after the Taris got a seat in the senate, for which Alek would be grateful.

In his opinion the mandalorians and their moving on the outer rim should've been the topic on the vids but it wasn't. Most people didn't seem to care about those who weren't in the Republic. What if Mandalore had his people attack the Republic? Would the people then care?

Alek shoved these thoughts away. He shouldn't be thinking about this as it was. The Jedi were to serve the Republic and the Jedi Order. If, and it was big if, there was a war coming, the Order would enter when the masters saw it was necessary.

"We should find your padawan," Alak stated as he started down the ornate hall. The red rug showed no signs of wear despite the fact many masters, knights, and padawans had walked this way to speak with the Council. Generations of Jedi had inhabited the temple on Coruscant. Many more would follow, until the temple lay in ruins and the Jedi were no more.

"Now you're ready to get going," Darious laughed as he caught up and matched pace with Alek's longer strides. "I thought you'd be if there was possibility of our valiant leader being on Taris."

"It's just a possibility, nothing more," Alek demised Darious' words. Even still his heart flickered with the hope that Avner would be there and would all right. The three of them had been friends since they were padawans back on Dantooine. In a since they were all as close as brothers.

x – A Day Later – x

_Fire raged around Avner. The flames licked at the earth, scorching the land and leaving nothing alive in its wake. Screams echoed through the air. The haunting cries of the dying, leaving their last chilling note before being snuffed out. _

_People raced passed Avner, eyes wild with fear. A child cried, curled up against a building, lost, scared; confused. The city burned around the child. The flames lapped at the feet the fleeing citizens. _

"_Taris is the key to a war with the Republic," a voice Avner didn't recognize sounded over the roaring flames and terrified people. "A war which will test the mandalorian people to their limits! They defeated us during the Great Sith War, but this time, we'll be the ones to rise to the top in victory. This time we fight on our own as a free people, without the Sith! For glory and honor!"_

"_For glory and honor!" the cry rose until it was thunder over the city of Taris, until even the cries of the dying, of the fearful, were down out by chant's might._

"Avner!" someone was shaking him, a voice calling to him through the haze of the dream. "Avner, wake up."

Avner blinked open his eyes. He was slumped over just under the blown out window. He must've fallen asleep while thinking on what should be done if he could leave this planet.

"Good, you're awake." Susan was kneeling before him, her eyes shifting from him to the stairs to the lower level. "We need to move quickly before the lieutenant realizes what's going on."

Straightening, Avner looked around. The light of pre-dawn poured into the space. "What's going on?" he asked in a voice barely more than a whisper.

"You'll see." Susan pulled him to his feet. "Now, come on. The head of security is waiting."

Avner nodded and followed her down to the lower levels. She led him around the sleeping people and – he noted – well out of sight of where Lieutenant Carvan was normally seen to be. The two of them headed deeper into the place than Avner had traveled before. He'd only gone as far as the room where he'd helped the head of security stop that mess yesterday. Now they were in a part of the building which had been restricted when Avner had first come to this world… both times.

"In here," Susan lead him through the doors into a – a hanger.

The head of security was already there with a few other people. Some of them had bags, others only the clothes on their back. And nearly every one of them had a child with them.

"There you are," the head of security raced over to them.

"What's going on?" Avner eyed the shuttle. He hadn't been aware there was one left in their control. "I thought the mandalorians had destroyed or taken all of the shuttles."

"So had we," the head of security confessed. He smiled. "Turns out the prime minister…" he winced, "the former prime minister, had a personal shuttle stored here for when the mandalorians attacked the building."

Avner frowned. "How many others were in on what the man was doing?" he asked. Keeping a shuttle secret would've taken more than just the prime minister. There had to be a pilot and several others who could maintain the shuttle.

"Don't worry about it; we're working on rounding up the people. Right now you need to help get these people to Taris." The head of security gestured to the people in the hanger.

"You want me to abandon the rest of you here?" Avner asked, both his eyebrows rising in shock. "There are more people than just this who need to be evacuated and others who could go in my stead."

The head of security shook his head. "None that are pilots or know how to fly like you do. You're the only one here and in this room who's even had basic training in piloting."

"What about the other pilots on the planet?"

"Ha, I'm not letting any of them out of my sight until I know where the allegiance lies."

"Avner," Susan started, "you head back to the Republic, warn them what the mandalorians are planning and help prepare them for the war."

"But…" he started to protest. It wasn't right for him to take the place of another. As a Jedi it was his place to sacrifice everything for the Republic and the people of the galaxy.

"Most of these people can't fight and would never last if we lose this war," the head of security put in. "They need to get off this world. There's enough fuel for you to just make it to Taris."

Avner hesitated before he nodded. "All right, but I swear I'll be back to help again." He held out his hand to the head of security.

"I'll keep you to that, friend." He clasped his hand. "By the way, the name's Laird."

Bowing his head, Avner smiled. "I always keep my promises." With those words, Avner turned to the group of people. "We're to head for Taris."

They exchanged looks before a few smiled. Others looked as if they would faint from relief. One by one they got into the cargo shuttle.

"It's not going to be an easy trip," Laird stated with a frown, "but at least they'll be safe."

"For a time, at least," Avner's voice was grim as his dream surfaced in his mind's eye and the memory of what the prime minister had said. "I don't know how long it will take me to get back here, but—"

"We'll hold out until you return," Laird clapped Avner's shoulder. "Susan's agreed to stay behind and we do have that lieutenant."

"The other soldiers agreed to stay… well, all but Carvan." Susan smiled. "We sort of made that decision for our leader."

Avner shivered. "Let's just hope he doesn't learn about this, otherwise—"

"You're keeping them waiting, Master Jedi," Susan nodded to the shuttle. "Go, and be safe."

Avner moved to the ramp before he turned and bowed at the waist to them. "May the Force be with you." With those words he entered the shuttle and moved through the crowd to the cockpit. In the end they would need the force on their side far more than he would.


	9. Chapter 7

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 7<p>

Alek leaned back in his seat as the shuttle made its final approach to Taris. The pilot had informed them that they'd been waylaid by the arrival of a shuttle carrying refugees. Now the hanger bay was free and the shuttle was heading there.

"You don't need to look like this is the end of the galaxy," Darious stated from where he sat across from Alek. "Avner _will_ be here."

"There's no way to tell that for certain," Alek bit back a growl. It wasn't Darious' fault. The damned council was to blame for this. Then there was so much more they could've done, not just for Avner but to stop the mandalorians from taking Tarnith in the first place. "Look, I'm not happy with the assignment, but I won't let my emotions cloud my judgment."

"There's no need to tell me that." Darious smiled at Alek. "I've known you long enough to know you won't compromise the mission just because Avner is in danger or…" he trailed. "I doubt he's dead," he muttered more to himself than to Alek.

Alek let out a long breath and looked out of the corner of his eye at Jasper. The young padawan was looking between Darious and Alek with confusion. "Why would the council send a Knight so close to the old front?" he asked just as the shuttle entered the atmosphere. "I didn't think they'd do something like that."

"They believed Tarnith wouldn't fall so easily to the mandalorians," stated Darious as he stood. He moved into the cockpit to speak with the pilot as they neared the hanger.

"Why?" Jasper asked Alek.

"There was a Republic ship there, but it pulled out when the mandalorians made their move," Alek replied. If the Republic hadn't pulled out, Tarnith wouldn't have fallen to the mandalorians and a knight wouldn't be stuck behind the line with no one coming after him.

The shuttle docked and Alek stood, stretching stiff muscles. Darious reappeared and nodded to Alek as the ramp lowered. Alek and Darious went down the ramp together with Jasper following several steps behind them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alek saw a cloaked figure being shoved towards the doors into the hanger on his left. He paused and looked over at them. The figure was wearing Jedi robes and Alek could see black hair. They vanished through the door before Alek could be certain if it was Avner or not. He spread out his awareness, but it did next to nothing. If Avner didn't want to be found, he could easily block another force user from finding him.

"Welcome."

Alek turned his attention to group before them. The man in the lead was the representative of Taris. He wore extravagant purple robes and had white, curly hair with a neatly trimmed beard. He stood with several security officers flanking him and an extravagantly dressed skrilling just behind him. If Alek recalled from what Darious had told him about this world, the representative was named Haydel Goravvus and the skrilling was called Jervo Thalien.

"You three must be the Jedi the council sent," Haydel stated as Alek and Darious stopped before him. "I welcome you to Taris, Master Jedi."

"Thank you," Darious gave the man a polite bow of his head.

"Where was that refugee ship from?" Alek asked, looking at the shuttle. It didn't seem too large of a vessel and couldn't have carried more than twenty people and that was packing it tight.

"Tarnith," Haydel said with sorrow. "It's the first one we've gotten from there." There was a note to his voice Alek didn't like.

Alek shivered. "Have you received many refugees?" he asked as they started towards the door. He and Darious walked beside the senator while Jasper, the guards, and Jervo walked several paces behind.

"Many from all across the outer rim," Haydel replied. "Most are in the lower city until they can pay to get off world."

Alek stiffened and glanced at Darious. His friend gave the slightest nods as if telling Alek that he agreed. If Avner was here, there was no way a Jedi mistaken as a refugee would be able to pay his way off world. Jedi didn't make credits unless it was from someone who they'd helped and wanted to give them some. The Order was paid by the senate for its services which was how the temples where funded. Other than that a Jedi was given only enough credits to get them to the planet they were assigned. Most of the time food and shelter was provided for them.

"I'd hoped to get Taris a seat on the senate before one of our supply worlds fell to the mandies," Haydel continued to speak. "With the fall of Tarnith, it's even more urgent Taris gains a seat in the senate."

Darious nodded. "And that's why Alek and I are here. The senate wants the Order's opinion before you're given a seat."

"Yes," Haydel smiled at Darious.

"The High Council is also interested in placing a temple here if Taris is granted a seat," Darious continued.

Alek frowned. He wasn't certain Avner would've mentioned that right away. Something about it being wiser to hold more cards in such talks than the others… though Alek didn't see the point in it.

"There was mention," Alek started, "of a high crime rate in the lower city. I would like to investigate some of it later on." It was his chance to also search lower down from Avner.

"Of course, Master Jedi."

x – Meanwhile – x

Taris was in sight. Avner let out a sigh more out of relief that these people would soon be able to try to get back to a normal life than anything else. Though, he didn't know how long they would have a normal life for. If Mandalore's goal was Taris, then they could end up trapped on this world instead. Especially if the people here wanted to keep their refugees until they could pay to get off world.

"This is Taris control. Hanger bay twenty is open."

"Thank you, Taris control," Avner replied over the comm. He moved the shuttle into the atmosphere. The shuttle shuddered as it broke through. Clouds blocked Avner's vision. As the clouds parted, the large city of Taris dominated the window.

The shuttle landed smoothly in the hanger bay. Avner could sense several people moving towards the shuttle as the refugees exited. Sighing, Avner stretched before he stood and followed the refugees out into the hanger. It was a bare place compared to others Avner had seen. The shuttle was the only one there and there were no crates lining the walls.

His eyes traveled o the group walking towards them. Avner stepped to the front of the refugees. "Hello," he greeted them with a bow of his head.

"I take it you're refugees from Tarnith," stated the leader, he rested his hand on his blaster pistol, eyeing them with a look of contempt. "You'll need to follow us to the lower city. All refugees are to gather in the encampments down there." The man turned away from them.

"It's urgent I get to Coruscant," Avner stated, stepping forward. "I'm a Jedi who was on assignment on Tarnith when—"

The man turned, giving Avner a cold look as his gazed flickered down Avner. He took in the tattered robes before his gaze rested on Avner's features. "Jedi? You look more like a common refugee than Jedi."

"I assure you, I'm a Jedi." What did he have to do? Use the force to show this idiot he was a Jedi?

The others from Tarnith were being herded away by the rest of the team. But Avner stayed where he was, looking calmly at the leader as he looked at Avner with the same look of superiority.

"You're no Jedi, now get moving and out of my sight, filth!" he barked at Avner before turning and striding away.

Avner stared at the man and was certain his mouth was open a little. Oh, he'd been greeted and called many things in his travels, but never before had someone called him filth or not believed that he was Jedi.

"Move it." One of the other security members shoved Avner in the back with his blaster rifle.

Staggering, Avner glanced at the man, but didn't resist. If the leader of this group hadn't stayed and tried to believe Avner, there was no point in speaking to this man or any of the others here. To them he was just a normal refugee.

Avner gritted his teeth. This was a really bad situation to be in. There was no way he'd be able to leave this world without someone either believing he was Jedi or finding either a smuggler or credits to pay his way back to the upper city and for a shuttle to Coruscant. Both the last ones would cost more than he'd be able to make in thirty years. Over all, he just needed to figure someway to just get off this world and get the information he had to the Republic and the Jedi Order.

The security officer shoved Avner into the lift before following him in. Avner leaned against the wall of the lift as it started down to the lower levels of Taris. Looking at the "escort" out of the corner of his eye, Avner knew he could use the force on the man or just over power him with ease. What was the point in doing so? It would just land him in greater trouble and make it so the masters' would only be concerned in what Avner had done instead of the matter of the mandalorians. The elevator jarred to halt.

"Out," the guard shoved Avner from the elevator. "You'll soon find where to stay."

Avner turned. "Wait—" the door hissed closed in his face. He blinked and took a step away from the elevator. Well, this situation sucked, but he had to believe the force would guide him out of it just as easily as he'd gotten into it.

Avner started down the narrow street, heading to where he sensed more people were gathered. The street was nothing like the upper part of Taris let alone most streets he'd seen on Coruscant. Trash lined both sides of the street and the harsh, foul scent of the place was overpowering. It was dark here compared to places where the sun should've been seen.

Sighing, Avner glanced at the trash and paused as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in shattered piece of mirror. He stared into his dark brown eyes, a frown pulled at his lips. He hadn't shaved since all of this had started but it wasn't this that made him stop and look. What the leader had said echoed in his mind. He didn't look like a Jedi, but what was a Jedi supposed to look like? He supposed the shabby and poor shape his robes were in made it appear he wasn't one, but the robes should've given away that he was no matter the condition they were in.

His eyes remained locked on his reflection. He did admit that compared to Alek and Darious he didn't standout in a crowd. With sharp, ordinary features like his it was a wonder people hadn't thought he wasn't a Jedi before now. Avner pulled up his hood. Shadows fell over his face, making it next to impossible to see his features.

Starting off down the street, Avner turned to matters that were more important. While he was stuck here he might as get as much information as he could from the refugees down here. There were bound to be people from across the outer rim who'd gathered here. All of them would have some story or another on what had happened, how the mandalorians had invaded, and more.

Avner spent the next few days moving among the refugees. Over the days he learned that people were more likely to believe he was Jedi when he kept his hood up. When they believed it made it so he could exchange his healing ability for information on the mandalorians and stories that these people had on the attacks of their homeworlds.

Soon Avner had a small timeline, dating back to just under ten years ago. The skirmishes and battles the Republic knew of only dated back three. Avner leaned back against the wall. The battles, whether they were won or lost, showed just how long and how brutal the mandalorians were. From what he gathered, the mandalorians were now just biding time. The attack on Tarnith was just the beginning. He suspected the mandalorians hadn't expected the Republic to pull back its forces from the world.

Avner turned his gaze towards the rest of the small camp. Despite the late hour, small fires burned in the center of the shabby tents constructed from trash dropped here from the middle and upper city. All of these people had nothing but the clothes on their back. What little credits they managed to make went towards food or paying off the Black Vulkars, one of the local gangs.

To them these people were intruders living in their territory. If the people didn't pay they were beaten. Avner let out a sigh and closed his eyes. If he'd been there he would've tried to stop it from happening. But what good was he to these people?

Here he'd wanted to get back to Coruscant and deliver the warning about the mandalorians… what if the council refused to believe? What if Kavar refused to act? Avner clenched his fist, knowing in his heart he couldn't just stand by and watch the mandalorians slaughter the people of the Republic. War _was_ coming and there was no point in denying it. He had to make the council see this as well. Even if they didn't see it in the proof he'd gathered so far, he would search and find what was needed to convince them. Hopefully before Taris was attacked, for, he knew, it was inevitable it joined the Republic. The "key" was Taris.

Avner drifted off into a light sleep.

A scream jarred Avner awake. Scrambling to his feet, he looked around and spotted several Vulkars pressing down on a woman and her child, who Avner knew to be ill.

"Leave him alone!" she shouted as the Vulkar tried to shove her away. "I've given you everything I have. You can't take him!"

Moving to them, Avner placed a hand on the vulkar's shoulder. "That's enough," he spoke in a stern voice, looking at the man through the shadows cast by his hood.

The man whorled on Avner, his fist aimed for Avner's face. Stepping to one side, Avner caught his fist and twisted around the man. He shoved him away from the woman and her son.

The other vulkars growled at him. "Get out of the way! They've not paid up."

Avner unlatched his lightsaber from where he'd hidden it on his belt. The purple blade hummed to life. "Leave now," he stated.

The vulkar who'd attacked Avner glanced at the lightsaber, an uneasy look in his eye. But another stepped forward. "So what are you going to do about it?" he growled. "You could've _taken_ that lightsaber from some dead Jedi."

"Do I look as if I have?" Avner asked in calm, cool tones. As he spoke, some of the ruble started to lift around him.

This caused all the vulkars to step back. They glanced at the one who'd spoken. He seemed to be the one in charge of this lot.

"Leave now," Avner repeated.

The group glanced at Avner's lightsaber before they started to back away. They turned and left their leader alone to face Avner. "Cowards!" he shouted after them before casting a wary eye over Avner. He backed up several paces before snarling, "Fine, she can keep her son. He wouldn't last a day as a slave anyway." He turned and raced after his friends.

"T-thank you," the woman stammered.

Avner turned to her as he deactivated his lightsaber. The objects he'd lifted with force he placed back on the ground.

"I don't know what I'd done if I'd lost my son," she whispered in a horse voice. "He's all I have left."

Avner looked at the boy who was wrapped in the tattered blanket this woman had. The boy didn't seem to be doing so well. He hesitated before saying, "If you'd permit I could heal you son. I've some training as a healer," he confessed.

Her eyes widened. "So you _are_ the Jedi I've heard about," she whispered with her hand over her mouth. "Please, if there's anything at all you could do for him."

Avner nodded and stepped passed the woman. Kneeling beside the boy, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. This boy needed a healer far more skilled than Avner was.

Careful not to wake the ill child, Avner placed his hand over the boy's forehead. A soft blue light filled the dimly lit space. He could feel some of the boy's pain ebb away and the fever begin to drop. He held to the healing energies for as long as he could, waiting until the last moment to cut it. By then Avner only knew the boy would pull through.

Standing, Avner turned to the mother and gave her a small smile. "He'll live. His fever should be gone by tomorrow night."

The woman knelt by her son, eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you, I wish I could give you something, but…" She shook her head, smiling through her tears at her son.

Avner pulled out some of his remaining credits. It wasn't much, it wasn't enough to get them out of the lower city, but it was enough to feed them for a few weeks. "Here," – he took her hand pressed the credits into it – "you're need is far greater than mine." He hesitated before releasing her hand. "There is something I would like to ask: do you know of anyone who might know away off world?"

The woman looked up, her expression still stunned from the credits he'd given her. She hesitated for so long, Avner was about to turn and leave when she finally spoke, "There might be away, but it's dangerous and could land even a Jedi into trouble."

He frowned before saying, "No matter the risk, I must return to Coruscant. Please tell me."

"Marn Hierogryph is a small time hood who tries to deal in everything. If anyone knows away to the upper city or off world, it would be him."

"Thank you." Avner bowed his head to her before he turned.

He'd taken only a few steps when she called after him, "Please, Master Jedi, might I know your name?"

A name? That was the first time since ending up down here anyone had asked for his name. But was a name as important as he'd originally thought? Names were fleeting at best. It was the deed that mattered.

Avner paused. He looked at her over his shoulder and said, "What matters isn't my name, but what is done while I'm here." With those words he continued on his way.


	10. Chapter 8

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 8<p>

"Finally," Alek muttered as the doors into the lift closed. He leaned against the wall and glared at it. Only moments ago one of Haydel's advisors had been trying to stop both Alek and Darious from heading down to lower city. He'd kept going on and on about the risks and dangers of the lower city. "I thought we'd never get away from that man."

Darious' lips twitched in a half-hearted smile. "You've been wanting down here since we arrived. Even if Anver is down here, we might not find him in a day," Darious pointed out. "You know as well as I do, if Avner doesn't want to be found, no one will find him."

"We're not just down here for him. Crime's been on the rise and the Republic will be looking into it," Alek pointed out.

"So it's now our mission to stamp out the gangs and all little crime bosses springing up?" Darious said with laughter in his eyes.

"Whatever," Alek shrugged before he straightened. "Let's just focus on the people down here." _And finding Avner_, he added to himself.

"Right." Darious smiled, seeming to know what was on Alek's mind right then.

The lift came to a jarring stop. Alek was the first out, not wanting to linger long in that small, grim filled lift. The streets down here were far worse than the lift had been. The trash lining the road was only part of it. There was a feeling of illness and decay about this place that made Alek shiver.

"This place feels rotten," Darious voiced what Alek felt. He sighed. "We'd best get to work. Perhaps the smaller crime first, I'd rather not try taking on military like gangs on our own."

Alek smiled. "We could do it with Avner," he stated. Together the three of them could just about do anything.

At this Darious shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. "Avner wouldn't even try. He'd advice against it, actually."

"Yeah," Alek agreed, knowing all too well how much Avner disliked fighting in and of itself. But he would always fight if the people needed him to. That was one of the reasons Alek was hoping to find his friend here instead of in pieces on another world out of the Republic's reach.

"Come on." Darious took the led, his dark eyes watchful for any danger.

Alek was only a pace behind him also on alert for danger and for any signs of Avner. Though, in the end, Darious was right. If Avner had no desire to be found, he could easily mask himself. Granted, it would take closer proximity to him if he wasn't masking himself for Alek to find him just because there were so many people here.

The two of them made their way further into the lower city. Darious had told his padawan to remain in the upper city in order to oversee matters there while the two knights were away. The boy had looked shocked and rather eager to prove himself in this task. It'd taken a lot not to laugh at the boy's enthusiasm over something so dull.

Time slipped by with them moving from one refugee camp to the next. Most of the time gangs fled at the sight of the two of them. It was all rather dull because Darious refused to give chase. He reminded Alek that just chasing off the gangs from this spot wouldn't stop them from coming back unless they were scared to the point they feared you which wasn't something a Jedi should be doing in the first place as it was.

Alek only shrugged and helped with what little he could in the camps. The problem was, he was a guardian and knew next to nothing about healing with the force. That'd always been something that Darious was more interested in than anyone else out of the three of them.

While Darious healed a young girl who'd fallen and broken her leg, Alek leaned against the wall. He watched the refugees, scanning them for any who were either wearing Jedi robes or looked remotely close to Avner just in case in had to shed his robes in order to survive or something like that. No one in the crowd leapt out at him and none looked even remotely close to Alek's friend. There was also the fact that Alek couldn't sense Avner anywhere. Damn, why the hell was he hiding? From what was he hiding?!

"Are you two working with that other Jedi who's been here?" a voice jarred Alek from his thoughts.

He looked around to see an elderly man, leaning heavily on a carved walking stick. The man looked as if he was about to fall over. His skin was almost too big for his fail form.

"Other Jedi?" Alek asked, straightening. "Was he about this tall," – Alek gestured at Avner's height on him – "with black hair and dark eyes?"

"Don't know much about that," the man stated in a feeble voice. "But the height looks about right, yeah." He nodded to himself, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, yeah, the height is right. He wore his hood up the rest of the time though."

Darious had moved over to join Alek during this. "That sounds like a friend of ours who's been missing since Tarnith was taken."

"Do you know where he went?" Alek had to fight back his excitement. The force was with them. By the sounds of it Avner was here after all even if Alek couldn't sense him. By the force, this was great news!

"Na, couldn't tell ya where he's gone since two days ago." The old man shook his head before pointing a trembling finger in the direction that led further into the lower city. "But he did head in that direction."

"Thanks," Alek nodded to the man before starting off in the direction the man had pointed. This was their chance to find Avner. It was their only chance at finding Avner!

"Wait up!" Darious called after Alek and raced to catch up. "Your plan is to charge off in some direction a random guy pointed in?"

"It's better than standing around doing nothing." A smile on his face, Alek stated, "Besides, Avner has to be here. What other Jedi could be? There are no others in the area."

"I'm not arguing… much." Darious caught up and matched his stride to Alek's. "But let's at least walk." He tugged Alek's sleeve, forcing him to walk instead of race off.

Alek grunted. While he wasn't too pleased with walking he did understand Darious' reasoning. It was un-Jedi like to race towards something that didn't have to do with someone dying.

When they arrived at the next refugee camp it didn't take Alek and Darious long to discover who the last person had been to speak with Avner. It turned out to be a woman with a sickly child.

The woman was kneeling beside her boy; her hands clasped his as she watched him. She didn't look away from the boy even as Alek and Darious stopped before her.

Darious glanced at Alek before he turned to the woman. The look told Alek to keep his mouth shut here. "Pardon me, ma'am," he started in a polite voice.

At the sound of his voice, she jumped and whipped around, her muscles tensed as if she expected a fight. Then, at the sight of their robes, her body loosened. "More Jedi?" she breathed in wonder. Her eyes were wide and skin pale under the layer of grim

"You met another Jedi last night, correct?" Darious asked.

"Y-yes," she admitted, stumbling over the words. "He healed my son and gave me credits in exchange for information."

"On what?" Alek stepped forward.

Darious shot him a look, but didn't otherwise respond to Alek's impatience. They had to learn where Avner had gone. Alek was certain it was him now. Only one person would do so much for so little. Most other Jedi would just heal the child or just give the credits.

"We're looking for him," Darious told the woman. "He's a friend of ours who ended up trapped on Tarnith. We only just learned he was here."

The woman looked between them before she nodded. "He asked if I knew of anyone who could get him off-world." She took a deep breath. "He seemed like he really needed to get to Coruscant, like the fate of many depended on it."

"And did you give him away off-world?" Alek asked.

She nodded again. "I gave him the name of a small time hood, Marn Hierogryph. He deals in just about everything."

"Do you know where this Marn is at?" Alek asked, heart flickering with hope that they might have founded Avner at last and could take down this criminal at the same time. If Avner wasn't there then they could just take down the criminal.

"No. I can't afford his information let alone the medical supplies he sells."

"Your son, he's sick?" Darious asked, looking towards the boy.

"He's doing much better since your friend healed him yesterday." The woman smiled, her eyes brimming with joy at the thought of her son.

"Thank you for the information." Alek smiled at her and gave her some of his kolto-packs. "These might come in handy."

The woman just stared at him. Her eyes were even wider with shock than they had been with wonder only seconds before. "T-thank you," she stammered.

"Come on, Darious, let's get going!" Alek took hold of his friend's wrist and dragged him away before he could offer to heal the woman's son even more than Avner had.

After sometime of walking, Alek began to feel a dim, familiar presence through the force. He glanced at Darious and saw his friend had sensed it as well. Avner was nearby!

xxx

Avner glanced around at the dripping pipes which covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. There was metal mesh over the ground, providing a somewhat dry path through these halls. The air was fouler here than it had been in the more populated parts of the lower city. He couldn't imagine why anyone would hide out here even to hide from the authorities. Though, he himself had ended up having to flee here, so he guessed it really wasn't too much of a shock.

After helping that woman, Avner had ended up being surrounded by the vulkars. One of them had been the leader he'd chased away from the woman. Out numbered, Avner had chosen to flee instead of fighting and ultimately killing them. The last thing he'd wanted was to kill them even if they were far from innocent.

In the flight, he'd burned his robe and stashed his lightsaber in his boot. The rest of his robes were tattered, covered in dirt, his own blood, and grim. Most people hadn't even given him a glance as he'd slipped by. The vulkars, however, were keeping an eye out for him so he'd slipped into this place in order to avoid one of their patrols.

Avner sighed and tugged at the soiled bandaging around his arm. The wound still hadn't healed and had reopened sometime ago.

"Watch where you're stepping," snapped a voice behind Avner.

Jumping, Avner whorled around, ready to either fight or run. He'd not been keeping his senses alert and cursed himself to that slip up. Instead of coming face to face with a vulkar, it was snivvian. His short, almost rodent like features made his stand out as such. He wore a hooded, purple shirt with a cloth belt holding several pouches.

"Err, sorry?" Avner straightened, sensing that he could easily out run or overpower this snivvian.

The snivvian snorted and strode passed Avner to a spot near where Avner had been walking. He knelt down and pried off the mesh.

Avner narrowed his eyes. This man had to be the one he'd been looking for. He didn't have much to lose just by asking. "You wouldn't happen to be Marn Hierogryph?"

"Depends on who's asking," the snivvian stated, taking out a box and looking at Avner.

"Someone who needs your help, if you're him."

"Look, I don't do charity work. Go find someone else."

"I wasn't expecting you to do charity work," Avner stated with a sly smile. He reached into a pouch around his belt and pulled out a small, hard crystal. "Would this do as payment?" He showed the small, purple crystal to the snivvian. It was one of the few he'd left from when he'd gone to find the one he used for his lightsaber.

"What is it?" He eyed the crystal with suspicion.

"A crystal Jedi use in their lightsabers. I hear it produces the color of the blade. Very rare, you sell and you could be rich."

"Could be?" He rubbed his chin, giving the crystal a thoughtful look. "What do you want for it?" he asked after several long moments.

"That depends. Are you or are you not Marn Hierogryph?"

"That's me!" he said, puffing out his chest.

Avner smiled. "All right, in exchange for this, I want away off-world."

Marn narrowed his eyes. "You'd need more than one messily crystal to buy that, kid!"

Of course, that had been expected as well. The problem was Avner didn't have anything else of value on him. Well, not unless one counted his lightsaber. He sighed and closed his hand over the crystal. "How much would it take?"

"More than you have, but that crystal could buy you away into the middle city."

It was Avner's turn to be suspicious. "Upper city," he stated, "no more, no less."

"Middle," the snivvian argued back.

The sound of two people coming, interrupted their argument, to call it bartering would be like calling a moon a planet. Avner stiffened, the woman's words, echoing in his mind. Damn, if he was caught with a criminal.

"Well, nice knowing ya!" the snivvian scampered away.

Avner stared after him. All right, well that took care of that part of the problem, but left him with more than he had before coming down here. Looking around, Avner caught sight of a vent overhead. He leapt up and pulled himself into it. The metal groaned under the extra weight, but didn't break. He reached for his lightsaber, but stopped. There was something familiar about those moving towards him.

"Damn it!" a familiar voice shouted just as Alek came into view below. "I could've sworn I sensed him here."

"If I hadn't sensed it as well, I'd state you're a terrible tracker," Darious' voice came up to Avner.

Avner couldn't help it, a smile spread across his face as relief flooded him. "You two have terrible eyes then!" he laughed and leapt down, landing just behind Alek.

Alek whipped around, hand on his lightsaber before he caught sight of Avner. "Avner?" his blue eyes were wide as he stared at Avner as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"You'd think being so tall you'd learn to look up more often," Avner teased his friend instead of giving a straight response.

"Avner!" Alek clapped him on the shoulder.

Avner gasped at the twinge of pain from his arm and staggered from the blow. "Wha –!" Avner straightened. "What are you two doing here?" Avner asked looking at the both of them. Not that he was complaining. This was much better than having to try dealing with that snivvian… and far more legal.

"Let's get out of the lower city first," Alek stated.

"And have a look at that wound." Darious pointed at the bloodied bandage. "Besides, I think both of us would like to know how you ended up here as well." Darious frowned before he slipped off his robe and held it out to Avner. "Here, take this."

Avner hesitated.

"I've a spare, take it. I don't think the guards will see you as a Jedi with how wrecked your robes are."

At this Avner smiled. "That's how I ended up down here," he admitted before taking the robe. "Thanks, Darious." Thank the force he and Darious were around the same height. The baggy robe fit almost perfectly.

Avner tugged up the hood as the three of them started towards the exit. They walked in silence to the lifts and even up into the upper city. With his friends with him, the guards didn't stop and question them about Avner, allowing him onto the lift without paying for it.

The upper city was calmer than it had been down below. A cool breeze whispered through the gleaming, crowded streets. Avner followed his friends through the crowd to the apartment they were staying in.

"Master Darious!" Darious' padawan greeted them as they neared. "The—" he cut off at the sight of Avner and blinked. He turned back to Darious and continued, "The Taris representative wants to speak with you."

"I'll be there in a bit," Darious stated and led the way into the apartment.

"It's good to see you again, Padawan Jasper," Avner greeted the young padawan.

The tall boy flushed and bowed his head to Avner. "You as well, Knight Avner," he mumbled. Jasper had been raised and trained on Dantooine, the same world that Alek, Avner, and Darious had first met on. Out of the other prospects he was the only who hadn't been chosen by a master. Lucien Draay and his group had taken the other five padawans. Despite being separated from his classmates, Jasper had never shown any regret or hesitation while he worked alongside Darious.

Avner had been another prospective master at the ceremony, but chosen to not choose a padawan. Besides, he had enough problems with council disliking him as it was without giving them even more reason to state he was in danger of falling and was about to drag a younger Jedi with him.

The apartment was spacious and had three beds in it. Darious gestured to Avner. "Let me take a look at your arm before I have to go."

Avner took off the robe and sat down at the table.

Darious unwrapped the bandaging and sighed. "You never were the best at dressing wounds, especially yours."

At this Avner laughed. "If I'd wanted to be a healer, I'd have stayed with Kreia." He used the nickname his friends had given Master Kae.

"Ha," Alek scoffed, "you couldn't stand that old—" he cut off as Avner shot him a glare. "Well, anyway, how'd you get off Tarnith?" Alek changed the subject. "I mean, knowing you, you'd have stayed there to help every last person you could."

"I would've too," Avner stated with a small smile as Darious used to the force to heal his arm. "But the head of security, Laird, convinced me to take a group of refugees here instead of staying behind."

"Hmm," – Darious frowned as he rewrapped Avner's arm – "there's more to it than that, isn't there? No one could get you to leave that easily, after all." Darious sat down at the table as well.

Avner hesitated, weighing if he should or shouldn't tell his friends what he'd learned. Sighing, he decided it would do more harm than good to keep it from them. Besides, if he couldn't convince them war was coming, how could he ever expect to convince the council?

After several moments, Avner told them what had happened on Tarnith. He started with the mandalorians arrival. When he got to the minister's betrayal and words, Alek leapt to his feet.

"He said what?" his oldest friend demanded.

"That war is coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it," Avner repeated.

Darious was leaning back in his seat, rubbing his chin and frowning. "So you left in order to warn the Republic and the High Council."

Nodding, Avner explained, "Out of all the master on the council, Kavar is the most likely to listen."

At this Alek snorted. "You didn't see the way he was acting when we were assigned to come here. But you're still right, you're always right." He gave Avner a board smile. "So, what's the plan if the council and senate refuse to see war's coming?"

Of course the two of them believed him. They'd been friends too long for them not to. Avner sighed and shook his head. "I've not thought that far," he half lied. The truth of the matter was, he didn't want to think on that possible future.


	11. Chapter 9

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 9<p>

Avner watched Darious and his padawan leave. They were already a little late for going to speak with the representative thanks to Avner's sudden arrival. In the end, what his friends were doing here was both a good and bad thing. On one hand Taris would join with the Republic and gain some protection, on the other when Taris was attacked the Republic would have no choice but to fight a full on war with the mandalorians.

"So, you, of all people, don't have a plan if Kavar says 'no'?" Alek shook his head as Avner returned his attention to his oldest friend. "He's going to say no, Avner. And what will the Republic do then? Just end up without Jedi aid in this coming war?"

"The Republic might not even believe war is coming," Revan pointed out. "Until war actually breaks no one will believe that another is just on the horizon."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. In the end though, Alek was right. If Kavar didn't act, what would happen? He'd seen firsthand how the Mandalorians fought. He'd felt as they'd slaughtered people without a second thought. Deep in his heart, he knew he couldn't sit back and watch as innocents died. But he was just a knight with little standing in the Order let alone outside of it. Who in the right mind would listen to his warning?

"Look, I don't want to go against the Order," Alek started. "After all, all three of us owe the Jedi everything. I mean, where would I have gone after my world was destroyed? Where would Darious have gone after his parents were murdered?"

"And what would I have done but die on the streets of Telos," Avner stated as he stood and moved to the window. He looked out across the city and could see nothing of interest. A vision flashed before his eyes. The calm buildings were burning. War droids filled the air, firing down on the people below. Avner shook his head and turned from the window. "Right now, just figuring out what to tell the council is my top concern."

Alek grunted. "You're going to have a hell of a time explaining the coming war. Vrook's more likely to believe the sky's falling than another war hitting the Republic so soon after the last one."

"And Vandar will caution patience to see if the warning is true or not," Avner put in as he started to pace the length of the room. His hand rested on his chin while he thought on this. "Hopefully Atris isn't there at all," he murmured this to himself.

"Ha, and since when does she leave Coruscant and the archives?!" Alek laughed. "I can't see her in the field let alone anywhere but on Coruscant."

Avner nodded his agreement to this. Even though, without her there it would've been ten times easier to persuade at least Kavar that a war was coming. "I know." He collapsed back into a chair. "Atris is going to be a pain until the day I join with the force." It didn't matter they were about the same age either. All this did was make it so that she could state that Avner's still being a knight was a sure sign he'd fall to the dark side. He placed his hand over his eyes and leaned back in the seat.

"Are you talking more about how she says you're bad for everyone you meet because you're 'on the verge of falling to the dark side,'" Alek quoted Atris word for word and even tried to make his voice higher to mimic that of a woman's.

"Err," – Avner peeked at Alek through a gap in his hands – "that was a really bad impersonation, Alek." Avner sighed and closed his eyes. "Anyway, I think the point I was getting at is that if she's there I doubt Kavar will act. Too many of the other masters on the council would judge him for it."

"Then what?" Alek pressed, there was now a hint of excitement in his voice.

"I could try to get others to see war is coming. Perhaps if some of the soldiers and those on the senate hear the message and believe they would be able to sway the masters… or I could just go in search of proof." He liked the second idea far more. "The more evidence I find the less likely the council is to disbelieve me."

Alek snorted. "Has never stopped them before in disbelieving you that is. Remember Kreia?"

"Why bring _that_ back up? It's half the reason Atris doesn't like me."

"Only half?!" Alek demanded. "She was banished because the council caught her studying the dark side. Atris believes you're bound to follow in her footsteps and get curious enough to start looking into dark side techniques!"

"Why are you shouting?" Avner murmured. "I know what Atris thinks of me and it's not just Kreia's fault. I've done nothing to dissuade her opinion on the matter."

"You're talking about asking Master Zhar to train you in the 'saber?" Alek laughed. "By that line of thinking I'm also going to fall. Besides you really needed the extra training. Your 'saber technique is terrible."

"_Is_?" Avner straightened, both his eyebrows raised. "I thought I'd made vast improvement on my 'saber skills."

"You'll never catch up," Alek teased.

"Ha, ha. I didn't know we were competing." Avner smiled. "By that logic, you'll never catch in force technique."

At this Alek scowled. "I really don't even want to try." He leaned back in his seat. "Anyway, what are you planning telling the council?"

"What the prime minister told me," Avner started. He shook his head. "Though I doubt most of them will believe it." A small sigh escaped him and closed his eyes again. "I don't even have a timeline yet to when the mandalorians will attack the Republic or what other worlds have been conquered but can't tell the Republic they have been."

"Well, you're not going to get those answers while you're half asleep," Alek stated. "Get some rest. We're not leaving for awhile yet. You could use that time to come up with whatever plan you want to come up with."

Avner nodded. "Sleep sounds good," he admitted. And it really did. Sleep without having to keep one eye open to make certain no one tried to take his lightsaber, a sleep where war wasn't raging around him, a complete sleep where he could fully rest. Yes, that sounded good!

"Take a shower; then get some rest," Alek said as he stood. "I should get back to the politics." He made a face at this.

"That bad?" Avner laughed.

"You have no idea," Alek said darkly. He smiled before he nodded to Avner and left the room.

Left completely alone, Avner felt the weight of what he'd seen and the message he carried pressing down on him from all sides. A small sigh escaped and he closed his eyes. What would happen next? He shook his head and stood. Right now he didn't need to think more on this matter. If Kavar didn't act than that was in the future, in the here and now he needed to clean and rest before thinking further on the matter at hand.

Avner moved off to do as Alek had advised. Less then ten minutes later he collapsed back into the seat, clean, but still wearing the tattered remains of his robes. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Right then he was just grateful for the breather from one event following another and constantly being on the move. There had been little time to sit down and even less to actually get some good sleep.

At some point Avner drifted off to sleep.

_He could hear voices through the deep, velvety darkness which surrounded him from all sides. A murmuring of people and beyond that a louder chant from the mandalorians. The murmuring increased a little in volume. _

_The darkness gave way to a sea of soldiers standing out before Avner. Each of them wore a Republic uniform and all of their shadowy gazes were trained on him. The soldiers vanished to be replaced by the Jedi council. _

_Vrook was seated before Avner, his eyes sterner than usual. There was something about him and the others present that told Avner something was wrong. His eyes flickered to Atris. Her lips were pursed and cold eyes locked on him with a deep, burning suspicion. _

_The images changed again. People were shouting. Blasters fired in the distance, accompanied by the low hum of lightsabers. _

"_Revan!" someone shouted over the sound. _

"Avner!" someone shook Avner, calling out to him and ripping apart the dream. "Avner, wakeup."

"Wha—" Avner opened his eyes and, blinking, was greeted by the blurred figure of Alek. "Alek? What's wrong?" he straightened and rubbed his eyes.

"Nothing," Darious' voice sounded from somewhere behind Alek. "I told him to let you sleep, but he insisted on waking you."

"It's not 'nothing,'" Alek retorted, returning to the seat he'd left before Avner had fallen asleep. "Darious and I contacted the High Council and updated them on what's going here," Alek began. "They're ready to approve Taris joining with the Republic."

Avner nodded. "That makes sense. Is the council planning on placing a temple here?" he asked.

"Yeah, but anyone could've guessed that."

"They just want to show support for the world joining with the Republic and the senate did ask for the council to give them their opinion of the planet," Darious explained, joining them at the table. He pushed a plate of food towards Avner. "Since you're up you might as well eat."

Avner sighed and pulled the plate towards him. There was no point in arguing and he had to admit he was rather hungry. "So there's to be a temple here? I really don't envy the masters put in charge of this world. It's going to take a lot of work to get the crime down."

"That's true. I wonder if masters would even be interested in a world like this?" Alek tilted his head to one side.

"I guess we'll soon see an answer to that question." Avner started to eat. "Though," he started after a time, "I don't know how long a temple will last here."

"You mean with the mandalorians heading in this direction."

"Yes," Avner admitted. His mind wondered back to his dream. Had it just been a dream or a vision? He really hoped it was just a strange dream and nothing more or less. Plus, who was Revan? "Did you tell the council you found me?" he asked.

"No," Alek admitted. "I really didn't want to be lectured on how going into the lower city to find you was a bad idea..."

Avner smiled and nodded before he finished the rest of the meal. "It will give me more room to speak when we get back to the core worlds, at least."

"There's that." Darious nodded. "But there is also the fact, that the council isn't one to leap into action unless it involves the dark side."

"I'm aware," Avner sighed. Though, that was the main issue he'd be facing when speaking the council. He just hoped they weren't that narrow sighted and could actually see the danger the mandalorians posed… for the Republic's sake, Avner hoped. "When are we heading out?" Avner asked.

"Soon," Darious informed him. "With the news that the order is going to sign on we just need to stay a day or so before heading back to Coruscant."

"Good." In the end, Avner was just grateful his friends had found him so that he would be able to deliver the message. But Alek was right, what if the council did nothing? Then would happen?

xxx

By the time the three of them arrived back on Coruscant, Avner hadn't decided on a course of action to take if the council didn't act. Even worse, he couldn't think on what to do if Kavar didn't act. It wasn't so much he didn't have ideas on what to do. More over it was just the fact that he didn't want to dwell too long on what would happen if the council or someone didn't act.

Avner sighed and followed Alek and Darious into the temple. It'd felt like a lifetime since he'd last been here. Even still, it was hard for him to feel the peace he normally did with so much weighing down his mind.

_There is no emotion; there is peace_, the opening phrase did restore some calm to him. He needed to stay focused. He could appear before the council so nervous that they mistook it for fear and the first signs of a fall.

The three of them stopped before the council chambers. Avner hesitated before he followed his friends into the large, round room. The windows behind the chairs around the room showed a magnificent view of Coruscant. Every time Avner stepped into the room his eyes were drawn to the view. There wasn't a time in his memory that he hadn't stopped to look at the city and traffic barely noticeable from this distance.

Several of the masters were there, seated opposite the doors into the room. The first one that Avner noticed was Master Vrook, his expression stern as it always was with his eyes locked on Avner. There was no telling what the master thought at seeing Avner there. A piece of Avner didn't want to know what the older man was thinking.

Next to Vrook, Atris was seated. His heart plummeted at the sight of her sitting there straight backed with blue eyes flashing at the sight of Avner. Her robes were traditional historian robes that showed her as head of archives here on Coruscant. Her hair was shock white despite the fact she was a little younger than Avner was.

On her right was Kavar. And on the other side of Vrook sat Master Vandar, his green eyes shining and wrinkled face crinkled in a smile. "Young Knight, I am glad to see you made it off of Tarnith in one piece," the oldest of the master said with a bow of his head.

"Thank you, Master Vandar," Avner started as he bowed to those in the room. There were two masters missing today: Masters Zez-kai Ell and Lonna Lash. Both of whom Avner had never known too well so wasn't certain if they would be needed here or not right then. "It's good to be back on Coruscant."

"We'll hear Knight Squin – Alek's and Darious' reports first," Vrook stated, showing no signs of emotion at the sight of Avner well and relatively unharmed.

Alek stepped forward and bowed his head to the masters. He and Darious filled the masters in on what was going on with Taris. They told them how the representative of Taris had been grateful to learn the Jedi supported them in joining the republic and was more than happy to have the Jedi place a temple on Taris.

All through this Avner watched the masters to see their different reactions to the information being presented. Vandar rubbed his chin and was nodding while Vrook just sat back in his seat, listening to the report with an impassive expression.

When Alek and Darious came to a close, Vandar straightened. "You've done well, young knights. Once the Republic brings Taris in we'll send in a few Jedi for the temple."

"You're report on the lower city is troublesome. Was there nothing you two could've done to stop some of the crime down there?" Vrook asked, though his tone made it sound more like a demand.

Avner stepped forward. "The lower city gangs are too wide spread and rooted into the lower city for two Jedi, even three, to be very effective against them. Plus there are refugees in very street. Any battle down there would result in an innocent's death."

The masters looked at Avner. "Nonetheless," Atris stated, "you should've been able to put an end to some of the crime down there. If you two hadn't been more concerned about finding your… friend and more concerned with your mission then you would've stopped some of the crime."

Alek looked ready to fight Atris over this. He stepped forward, eyes blazing.

Avner held out his hand, stopping his friend. Looking Atris evenly in the eye, Avner said, "I was down there since bringing a group of refugees in from Tarnith. When the gangs fought or tried to take credits from the refugees it resulted every time in death. Fighting them isn't the answer. The only way to stop the gangs would've been to go straight to the source. Three knights wouldn't be enough to storm the base and capture all the members of each gang."

Vandar nodded before turning his attention back to Alek and Darious. "Thank you for your report," he repeated. "The two of are dismissed. You've earned some rest."

They hesitated and looked at Avner. Alek clapped him on the shoulder before bowing to the masters and leaving the chamber. Left alone with the masters, Avner looked from one to the next, gathering his thoughts.

"By the sounds of it you got off Tarnith during the fighting," Vrook stated. "Why didn't you return when you were recalled?"

"I was in the custody of the mandalorians at the time the message came in," Avner said. "By the time I got out with several Republic soldiers, the planet was already over run."

"You should've headed back the second you landed on Taris, not delayed," Atris put in. "Because of your foolery we're shorthanded for knights on the core worlds for places that really need their help."

"Tarnith _really _needed my help," Avner put in. He took a deep breath. "Besides, the mandalorians don't plan on staying beyond the rim of Republic controlled space. They're ultimate goal is the Republic itself."

Silence greeted his words. Vandar was frowning as he rubbed his chin while Vrook glanced at the other masters in the room. Kavar was leaning forward a little, eyes intent on Avner.

"How do you know this?" Kavar asked.

Avner told them what he'd learned and how he'd learned it in a few short sentences. "It seems Tarnith is being revamped as a supply world for the mandalorians," he finished.

"That is little proof that a war is coming. It sounds just like a man desperate enough to tell you a lie in order to save his own hid," Vrook stated.

"It wasn't a lie," Avner put in. "War is coming and the Jedi have to prepare for it. We'll be needed by the Republic!"

"No war is coming." Vrook shook his head. "The Mandalorians are just gathering territory as is in their nature, nothing more or less."

Avner's eyes gaze flickered over the masters. "I've seen the war coming," he told them, "in visions. There's no avoiding it."

"Visions, you say?" Vandar asked. "Visions aren't exact, young knight. You should know this better than most."

Vrook and Vandar exchanged looks before Vrook looked at Avner. "You're to stay on Coruscant until further notice. Spend your time recovering from what you saw and experienced on Tarnith."

"What?" Avner gaped at the old master.

Atris, too, seemed caught off guard by what Vrook had said. "Every knight is _needed_," she stressed the word. "If you're not capable of helping the order then you should stay within the temple." She seemed to add this last part as away of agreeing with Master Vrook instead of countering the older, more experienced master.

"War _is_ coming," Avner pressed, shoving aside his shock at what they had said. "The Order needs to act or the Republic will be lost!" With those words he turned to Kavar and looked at the master. "Without the order, the outcome of a war will destroy the republic, you_ must_ see this."

"The council has made its decision," Kavar stated. There was a knowing look to his gaze that told Avner he knew what Avner had expected. "There is no war coming. The Mandalorians will stay outside of the Republic controlled space in order to avoid repeating the Great Sith War."

Avner stared at Kavar. What? That war had been waged thirty-years-ago and in it the Mandalorians had followed the Sith Lord Exur Kun into war against the Republic. It had been a short, but bloody war. The Republic had eventually won, but many Jedi had been lost. More evidence towards this was the fact that there were very few knights and even fewer masters within the order.

Several, if not all of, the masters on the council – excluding Atris who was just too young – had been in that war. They would remember the blood spilled and a time when the Jedi had been more numerous. Even still, the order's, especially Kavar's, refusal to see this threat was just plain stupid.

"You're dismissed, young Knight," Vandar said with a slight bow of his head.

Avner bowed to them. "Yes, master." He turned on his heel and strode from the room.

When Avner entered the hall, Alek left the relaxed position leaning against the wall and straightened. "What did they say?"

"None of them want to believe war is coming." Avner strode passed his friend and started down the nearby stairs.

Alek hurried to catch up. "Even Kavar?"

"Even Kavar," Avner confirmed.

"What now?"

Stopping on the steps, Avner looked at his friend. A frown pulled at his lips as he thought. "Now," – he took a deep breath – "now, I'll find the proof required to convince them that the mandalorians are coming." His mind was made up in that split second. "The problem is, I'm confined to Coruscant for the time being."

"I could find what's needed then," Alek suggested.

Avner shook his head. "No, I don't want you to be dragged down with me. What I am going to do is going to defy the council." He started down the steps again. If he was right he still had an old Republic pilot who would be willing to help Avner off-world. From there he could search for what was needed and see if he could convince others that war was coming.

The support of the senate would be needed in the long run. But short term they were as likely to believe him as the council had been. No one wanted another war… no one but Mandalore that was.

"Too hell with that!" Alek raced after him. "I'm sticking with you until the end!"

"No." Avner shook his head. "Listen," he started before Alek could protest, "for now act as if nothing is amiss. Stay on the council's good side. If worst comes to worst then you can join me. Until then, don't antagonize the masters."

"Avner," Alek protested.

"I already have a bad reputation among them. There's no need for you to get one as well." Avner gave Alek a small smile. "Do as they say."

A hand on his shoulder forced Avner to stop. Alek turned him so they were facing one another. "I don't give a damn about what the council thinks of me. I'm going with you even if I have to find some other pilot and track you down. We're as brothers to every end!"

Avner sighed. He didn't like it when Alek was like this. When his friend had that determined glint in his eyes it meant nothing short of the planet blowing under them would stop him. "All right, fine, but…" Avner trailed off and smiled. "I guess it would be better to have you along."

"Let's get started then." Alek's eyes were shinning. "We've a galaxy to convince that war's coming!"

"Err, yeah, wonderful as that is," Avner laughed and continued down the stairs.

"Where too first?"

"As close to the mandalorian space as we can get." Avner explained, "The best way to know war is coming is to find those who would have that information or worlds on the edge of Republic space that have been nipped at." Or so he believed. In all honesty it would take looking at the mandalorian movements over the years to see where they'd been and where they were heading. To do this he needed more than information the Republic would have them. To do this, he'd have to leave Coruscant and defy the council's order for him to stay here.

This wasn't something Avner wanted to do. The life of a Jedi meant a lot to him, but the Republic needed to know the truth and needed to be warned. They needed to build back up their military and prepare for the coming war!


	12. Chapter 10

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 10<p>

It didn't take Avner long to learn that the pilot wasn't on Coruscant right then. This turn was a great setback and one that Avner didn't need right then. He and Alek were in the one of the many alleyways of the city. They weren't exactly alone there, but to find a place where you would be on Coruscant was like asking for the masters to have been convinced to go to war when Avner had told them what he'd seen.

"What now?" Alek asked as he leaned against the wall of the grimy, run down alley. Trash littered this part of the alley, showing that the droids had never gotten as far as this point to clean it.

Avner continued to pace, half ignoring the question. It was a valid question and the one that was most nagging right then. "This is what we're going to do," Avner began as he stopped pacing and placed his hand on his chin. "You're to head back to the temple and see what the council is up to. Don't do anything to defy them, show that you support them."

"That's a shitty plan!" Alek snapped as he straightened.

"No, listen," Avner held up his hand, stopping Alek from continuing. "While you're doing that, I'm going to spread word about the coming war. Try to get it to gain popularity among the people of Coruscant." Avner pulled up his hood. "With my face hidden and name unknown, I can convince people that war _is_ coming. But I need eyes and ears in the order now more than ever, Alek. The Council will know it's me spreading word of the war."

"But," Alek started.

"Don't argue, Alek. We'll meet up again once I know for a fact that the pilot is back. Until then this is the best way to start getting the council to see war is coming to the Republic."

"I don't like it," Alek stated before he sighed. "But I'll do as you ask." He clapped Avner on the shoulder. "May the force be with you, my friend."

"And with you," Avner replied with a bow of his head to Alek.

Alek turned and started back down the alley towards the Jedi temple. Avner watched his friend go, a hallow feeling filling him. This was going to get Avner banished in the long run. But, the Republic's safety and wellbeing was far more important to him than being a Jedi. He'd give everything for the Republic, even his standing as a knight of the Jedi Order.

Turning, Avner took a deep breath. This was it. The second he moved into the closest market and spoke to the people there, he was defying the council. It was for the good of the Republic and all the people who called the Republic home. He closed his eyes, steeling himself.

Avner moved off in the direction of the closest market. When he stepped out into the market place, he wasn't shocked to see it teeming with people. He was jostled this way and that as he moved through the crowd, scanning for a good place to be heard.

He leapt up onto a few crates and raised his voice for all to hear him. "People of Coruscant, listen and listen well, for I bring a message from the outer rim!"

Several people stopped and turned Avner, muttering under their breath. Others just laughed and moved on. While others still ignored him completely… actually the vast majority of people just ignored him.

"When Tarnith fell, the mandalorians revealed their plan to attack Taris, a world on the verge of joining the Republic," he continued, drawing the attention of more people in the crowd. "If they're not stopped, if the people of the Republic keep turning a blind eye on the activities of the mandalorians, the Republic will be left wide open for an attack. War will break out once more!"

"Shut up!" someone shouted from within the crowd. "No one cares what happens on the outer rim. Those people chose to live outside the protection of the Republic."

"Go away!"

A metal can flew through the air and stuck Avner hard on his injured arm. He let out a small hiss of pain. The next moment he was being pelted from all sides by metal and trash. He used to the force to block the worst of the onslaught before he leapt down.

"Get out of here!" someone shouted at him.

Avner moved off and vanished back into the alley. "That could've gone better," he muttered, wiping the trash from his robes. He would try again in a few minutes, but right then the crowd needed to calm down before he moved back out there. The message needed to spread. It didn't matter the greeting he got or how much trash he was pelted with. The people needed to know the truth!

Over the next week, Anver moved among the people of Coruscant, trying to spread the message of a coming war. Most of the time the results were the same as the first time, but he no longer left the point after being pelted with trash. Instead, Avner held his ground and continued to speak to the crowd, normally over the shouting of people.

From time to time the media would be there and had started to record some of what he was saying. Though, he knew none of his message was really being repeated by the media. From what he'd seen of the news, he was side note, a curiosity who'd been dubbed "The Jedi Crusader." No one in the media had even tried to get his name.

It was near the end of the third month of this by the time Avner even got the first hint that Alek remembered him at all. Avner was trying to meditate a little in an alley when he sensed someone's approach. He opened his eyes to see it was Alek.

"You're next to impossible to track down after you've left a crowd," Alek stated when Avner stood. "I come with bad and good news," his friend continued, "Taris has been given a seat on the senate."

"Hmm," Avner sighed. "While expected, it still isn't the best of news. The Mandalorians won't be able to advance much more without declaring open war on the Republic."

"I know, but that wasn't the bad news," Alek stated. "The bad news is that the Jedi Council is ordering you back to the temple. The only reason I was allowed out of their sights was to get you to return. They think _I'm_ going to drag you back."

"I take it they're really unhappy that I've gotten media attention?" Avner scowled. "I am as well."

Alek smiled. "They don't like the fact that a knight is being called 'The Jedi's own crusader.'" He laughed then asked, "Have any of them even taken the time to ask you anything?"

"Out of the Order? No. Out of the media? As if they would find the time to even try," Avner stated with a shake of his head. "I'm a curiosity to them and not worth the time to track down in order to be asked questions of. Besides I don't really want to become the face of this matter."

"Shame," Alek stated. "If you were, it might be the chance you're looking for to get people to start taking you seriously."

"I doubt—" Avner cut off and smiled. "That's it! If several in the Jedi Order show that they believe the media will be forced to take me more seriously. If that happens support for the fact the war is coming will grow!"

"Wait, what?!" Alek gaped at him. "Are you mad? I thought you didn't want to become the 'face' of the coming war?"

"I don't which is why I won't answer personal questions or actually show them my face," Avner explained. "I don't have to become the one who leads, but I can be the one to jar Kavar to his senses by gaining support for the war."

"I'm more than willing to help," Alek pointed out after several long moments. "Besides I'm getting rather sick of being stuck in the temple. And I have no intention of dragging you back with me."

Avner smiled at his friend. "One person won't make it seem like the message is getting through, though."

"What about four?" stated Darious as he appeared from the shadows, Jasper close behind as ever.

"Well, I count three and three will be—"

"Have you forgotten your training so readily, my old padawan," stated a cool voice. The next moment a cloaked figure stepped up to stand beside Darious. Her hood was up as ever to hide her sightless, white eyes. Two bound pieces of her white hair, streaked with some brown, fell from under the hood. She wore traditional robes of a Jedi master as the brown pieces of the normally tan part of the robe showed.

"Kreia!" Alek exclaimed, leaping back to stand beside Avner.

"Master Kae," Avner greeted his old master in as polite a voice as he could, giving her a slight bow. "I didn't sense your presences."

"I thought the order exiled you, Kreia!" Alek stated, his hand on his lightsaber.

"Kreia?" Both of her eyebrows rose at this. "I am curious to where that name originated from." She turned her attention back to Avner. "It was more a half exile. I am no longer permitted to train _any_ padawans in the ways of the force. To fully exile me, the Order needs proof that I, as well as at least one of my former padawans, have fallen to the dark side before they can fully exile me."

"Which would mean you," Alek whispered behind his hand. "So she's a lot riding on you returning to the Order and showing the fact you're still on the side of the council."

"That is far from the reason I'm here," Arren looked at Alek as she said this. "If I was concerned with my own standing in the Order I wouldn't have trained padawans in the way I did."

"R-right," Alek muttered, seeming caught off guard by her good hearing.

"Master Kae, we're not going to go to war, only try to convince Master Kavar and the rest of the council that war is coming before it does."

"And if those fools can't see the truth in time, then what? Will you allow the Republic to fall without lifting a finger? Or lead us into the war even if it means sacrificing all that you are?"

"I'm taking one day at a time," Avner stated. "To predict the future and all outcomes is to take on fool's task."

"True, at least you learned that much since we've parted ways."

"You're standing is even more precarious than my own, Master Kae. If you help even with this small matter, you might end up banished fully," Avner warned.

"I'm not planning on helping with just this small part. I'll enter the war when it comes to that. The question now, my old padawan, is: are _you_ willing to give up so much for so little?"

"I will do what I must do to protect the people of the Republic."

"That is all I needed to hear. Let's get started. I hope you had a plan in mind?"

"Always," Avner stated and turned to his childhood friends. "This is what we do." He told them of how best to gather people tomorrow in order to get more to listen to them, including telling them more of what he'd seen and heard on Tarnith.

"Which was, exactly?" Master Arren Kae asked.

So Avner filled her in on all that had happened there. "I think the reason they asked for you was—"

"Since I am blind and a master I could've been used as a bartering chip to gain more standing with Mandalore by the Prime Minister."

Avner nodded. "Yes, but that is only assuming that the Prime Minister would've been able to knock you out without you noticing," Avner stated. "He might have just been underestimating you and your ability."

"As he did with you by the sounds of it."

"At least Tarnith is now putting up some resistance against the mandalorians, that might buy us some time," Darious pointed out.

"I doubt that," Avner stated. "They will put up resistance on the planet itself, but majority of the mandalorian forces will continue on towards Republic controlled space, gaining territory and supplies as they come. The resistance on Tarnith is less than an annoying bug to the mandalorians right now."

Arren nodded while Alek and Darious exchanged looks. Jasper just seemed more than little confused by all of this. The poor boy was being dragged into this by his master. Avner only hoped this wouldn't end poorly for him.

"For now, we should rest before tomorrow," Avner stated as he looked from his friends and back to his old master.

The group split a little, but none of them left the alleyway. No one seemed to want to head for the temple and none of them wanted to get a room at a hotel. Instead of sleeping, Avner ended up refining what they were going to do if they got the media's attention and that didn't work to get the Order to believe them… or enough people.

The pilot might be back in a few weeks, so Avner pointed out that they could start to do what he'd originally planned and find the proof needed to get the Order to believe. The only one who wasn't fully behind the plan was Master Kae, but Avner just took that as her normal misgivings towards anything having to do with the Jedi High Council.

Dawn seemed to come all too soon for Avner's liking. Granted, what he was about to do really went against the council. They'd ordered him back after all and now he with a small group of Jedi were about to fully defy their wishes in order to try to get the Council to see the truth about the war.

Avner swallowed passed his nerves as he led the small group out of the alley and to where a crowd had already gathered for some early shopping. Most of them might have even been out all night trying to get what they needed or just having a good time. This was Coruscant after all.

He leapt up onto some crates and looked around. "People of Coruscant," Avner called to them, lifting his voice to a volume he wasn't used to using, one even louder than the one he'd been using for the past several attempts. "The message I bring shouldn't be ignored or dismissed by scorn and disbelief."

The people were turning to him. "You again? Didn't you get the message, no one believes you?!" spat the man.

"We do!" Alek shouted, stepped forward with Darious at his side.

Jasper and Master Kae stood back several paces, standing close to where Avner was. He shivered a little, but forced himself to continue, "War is coming. While the people of the Republic sit back and watch the devastation raging across worlds beyond the rim, countless people die for their homes. Mandalore's sights are on the Republic. The war so far has been for one purpose and one purpose only: to gather supplies!" Avner pointed off in the direction of space.

"All of you think that this has nothing to do with you! That you're safe so far into the core worlds, at the very heart of the Republic, but what of those who live on the edge of Republic space? What of those who have families on the rim worlds?

"My message is a clear one: don't ignore what is before you, the signs that point towards war! Ignoring it will only cause more pain and death than can be imagined."

Whispers sounded through the crowd. Avner noted, for the first time, that most people in hearing range were now watching him. "Who are you?" asked a woman in the crowd.

"Who I am is not important; my message is!"


	13. Chapter 11

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 11<p>

x – Two years later – x

Avner poured over the data-pad he held. The news coming in pointed to yet another battle in the Suurja system had resulted in yet another stalemate between the Republic forces and the mandalorians. Sighing, Avner leaned back in his seat and rubbed his eyes.

"Nothing good I take it?" Alek asked next to him.

"This is the third stalemate that's happened in the Suurja system," Avner informed the small group on the small carrier they'd managed to get over the past two years.

Despite his wish to not be the leader of any such movement to enter the war, it had turned out to be such. In the past two years more and more Jedi had slowly flocked in to join him in his campaign to get the council to see the truth. All of them were viewing Avner as their leader and most had taken to calling him "master," not knowing Avner's name or caring to ask him what it was. Avner was fine with not telling them his name, but he did wish they wouldn't call him "Master" in place of a name. The only one in the group who should be called such was Master Arren Kae and she seemed more than a little amused at Avner when he'd voiced this to her.

The moves against Republic space made in the past year alone were making it all too plain to the Republic that the war was unavoidable. It was only the Jedi Council now who refused to aid in the coming war. While Avner didn't want to lead anyone, his hand was being forced to lead those who believed Jedi aid would be needed towards the war. If he couldn't convince the council soon, there would be no choice left to him but to fully defy their wishes and enter the war with the few Jedi he had.

To delay too long would be to lose the Republic and all chances they had at victory against the Mandalorians. Despite Suurja being a stalemate, it would only be a matter of time before Mandalore got serious and directed his full attention on the Republic. Suurja was just a skirmish compared to what had happened in the outer rim. Those soon might even been small compared to what was coming.

It was Avner's hope that the High Council would come to their senses long before the first worlds along border were attacked. But few masters listened and only one, so far, had believed them or thought that joining the war was right. Taris wouldn't prove to be anymore fruitful than the last several. This was more because Avner had met one of the master's for in charge of the temple there. Master Lucian Draay… actually he'd briefly met all of the masters.

x – The Past – x

Avner exited the shuttle beside Darious and sighed. Why did the masters even bother calling him here if they'd only look down on the padawan Avner chose?

"No need to look so depressed," Darious stated, "this is a great show of trust from the masters to be among the new knights and chosen to take on a padawan."

"We're one among many who could end up with a padawan," Avner pointed out as he and Darious started towards the enclave entrance.

The bright, Dantooine sun beat down on them as the crossed the makeshift hanger. There were two other shuttles in the stone yard, making the space somewhat cramped. One of the shuttles had come from Coruscant with members of the High Coucnil. The other had carried a group of five masters here.

"Besides there are six masters who are going to be here for the ceremony as prospective masters and the two of us, with _only _six prospective padawans," Avner was trying not to dampen his friend's mood, but the odds really were stacked against them. They really were for Avner.

"Six? I'm only counting five? I thought this Marcus character was only a knight?"

Avner hesitated then laughed. "I suppose you're right, but he's just about thirty years older than we are. I guess I was thinking of him as a master because of that."

"If age was what gave one the honor of master, then the order would be filled with those who didn't have insight or skill to lead it," stated a cool voice.

Avner turned to see the five masters had followed him and Darious into the enclave. "Good morning, masters," Avner stated with a slight bow. "I hope your journey was well?" It took more effort than Avner cared to admit not to retort to those words as he skimmed their group.

There were four Jedi consulars like Avner in the group flanking the only guardian, Lucien Draay. Though odd in and of itself, Avner knew to query about this could cause more problems than it would solve. Normally there were more guardians in the group of Jedi than there were sentinels and consulars. The ratio just didn't seem right to him.

"Well enough," Lucien replied for the group. His eyes were locked on Avner's as the slightly taller man sized Avner up. "You two are some of the newest knights of the order, correct?"

"Yes, Master Draay," Avner stated in a calm voice. "But, as you stated, age has nothing to do with ability."

Lucien's eyes narrowed at this. A silent battle seemed to have started between Avner and older Jedi Master. Neither of them blinked or looked away from one another. The tension between them seemed to almost crackle through the air.

Beside Avner, Darious glanced nervously at the other masters. "Avner, we should head in," Darious whispered, placing his hand on Avner's shoulder.

"Avner?" both of Lucien's eyebrows at the sound of the name and he seemed more than a little shocked to hear Avner's name. "So you're the young knight who gives the council no ends of grief. I'm surprised such a knight would be given the chance to train a padawan."

As was Avner but he wasn't about to confess that to this man.

"Perhaps they hope it will curve his curiosity," a man around Avner's height chose just then to appear in the hall way leading to the centurial part of the enclave and the inner passage to the lower levels. He had long, black hair which was tied back, flecks of gray were starting to appear in his hair. One of his eyes was brown like Avner's but other eye was mechanical.

Avner turned to the newcomer and bowed his head to the man. He must have been the last perspective master, Knight Marcus. "Perhaps," Avner agreed. Turning, he gestured to Darious before he started off down the hall once more.

xxx

"We'll be arriving shortly," Alek's voice jarred Avner from the past.

He straightened and looked at his friend who'd just sat back down beside Avner. "We'll be heading to Suurja right after," Avner announced to the group. "To give aid to the Republic forces entrenched there."

There were a few mutterings from among their small group before a cathar Jedi by the name Ferroh said, "So we're really heading to the frontlines then?"

"Yes," Avner confirmed. "But we're there to gather information and aid the Republic, not officially join the war effort at this point. We don't have enough strength to give much aid to the Republic yet out side of healing and reconnaissance."

There group was still too small to make much of a difference in the war. Either that or Avner was just using that as an excuse to not join the war just yet. A large part of him didn't want to join just yet, not without first convincing the High Council that the war was a very real threat to the Republic. And that it was in the here and now unlike the Sith.

Now, they were going to see if Lucien would aid their group by at the very least giving them supplies. It wasn't the supplies that Avner was really interested in, however. It would the aid of more masters, no matter how unlikely it seemed.

As he thought this, his vision blurred and gave way to a deep, impenetrable darkness. The soft glow of four green 'sabers filled the space. "What are you—" a voice sounded before it was cut short by a scream.

Blood dripped down around Avner. The four consulars of the temple on Taris appear through the darkness, standing over the corpses of their padawans. Lucien stood among them, the only one without his 'saber drawn. Zayne appeared in the mists of the masters and was highlighted as the one to take the blame.

The images shifted and changed. Avner stood on a battle field of sheer destruction. It was Coruscant, but it wasn't destruction caused by the Mandalorians. No this was something else, another threat for someone else entirely to face. Master Vrook was racing through the destruction. Then Avner saw it, the young Padawan Zayne facing off against his master. Lucien's normally white and gold robes were tattered and stained with blood. His hands burned as he leapt at his padawan, holding a red lightsaber.

The images began to fade.

Avner shook his head to clear the last of the images. He stood and moved into the small cockpit of the shuttle. He stopped behind the two just as they left hyperspace. "Head for the local temple," Avner instructed them. "There should be landing zone there, we can at least resupply before heading to Suurja."

"Yes, Master," said the younger Jedi who piloted the small transport.

The temple soon came into view. It had been placed into one of the upper city buildings and was built in the middle of the city unlike the temple on Coruscant. From what Avner knew of it, this was temporary until a better temple which more suited the Jedi Order could be constructed.

The shuttle touched down and Avner turned to the main compartment. The others were already standing, some of them stretching after the long voyage of skipping from one system to the next. Unfortunately the shuttle wasn't the best and they'd had make stops along the way to rest and gather supplies that were needed for the next leg of the journey. This last jump had been the longest yet, lasting over a day. Avner and the other few who knew how to pilot had been switching off in order for the other to get some rest.

Avner moved to the ramp and was the first to disembark. The few who followed him, moved to speak with several of the droids there in order to wait for when or if they were given the supplies they would need by the masters of the temple. Avner moved to where Lucien and the other four masters. While Jasper raced over to his friends from his time as a youngling on Dantooine.

"Well, if it isn't the Jedi Crusader," Lucien stated in way of greeting as Avner and Alek stopped before him.

"If it isn't too much trouble, can we get some supplies and fuel?" Avner asked politely.

Lucien hesitated before he nodded, but it seemed like he really didn't want to aid them in this. Over all, Avner wasn't too shocked. The likelihood of this man and those around coming with their group was next to none or, more over, a chance less than one percent. But it was a still a chance, even if it was a small one.

"Knight Alek," Lucien turned to Alek. "Would you do me a favor?"

"Depends on what it is," Alek stated with a glance at Avner.

"My padawan seems to have wondered off. If you follow the trail of debris, you'll find. Could you bring him back?"

"Sure." Alek moved a little before he bent down and whispered, "I think this might be a lost cause, Avner."

"We'll see," Avner whispered back, but he couldn't help but agree. Perhaps if he could convince Lucien to join them the four padawans could be saved and the future Avner had seen wouldn't come to pass. But with a chance so low…

Alek moved off and soon the hum of a speeder taking the sky came.

Only once Alek had gone did Lucien turn his attention back to Avner. "What's the real reason you're here, Knight Avner."

"The mandalorians are gaining ground by the day," Avner started. "It's only a matter of time before the stalemate of Suurja is broken and the mandalorians move to strike the Republic territories close to that system."

"So you're here to ask us to join up with you?" Raana Tey, a togruta Jedi Master, asked. Her dark eyes narrowed as she looked at Avner.

"The mandalorians aren't a threat the Jedi should concern themselves with," Master Q'Anilia told Avner.

"The Sith are the only threat the Jedi should be concerned with," Lucien finished.

"And it is this belief that will be the down fall of the Republic," Avner told them. "In the end, you're… fear of the Sith returning will cause innocent blood to be spilled. The truth will be written in blood," with those words, Avner turned and started towards the shuttle.

"Wait!"

A hand shot out and took hold of Avner's shoulder, stopping him. He turned to see Master Raana Tey had stopped him.

"You're no seer, what do you mean by this?" she demanded.

"The vision is clear, blood will be spilled, lives will end, and all you know will parish because of your fear of the Sith returning," Avner told them before he removed Raana's hand from his shoulder. "On the matter of me being a seer or not, I don't try to see the future on a whim. I allow the force to show me what it will." He bowed to them. "Good day, masters of Taris." He turned again and moved off just as he caught sight of Alek landing the speeder nearby with Zayne.

There was still a chance what Avner had seen wouldn't come to pass. Though, how slim those odds were, he didn't know and didn't really care to. His purpose in this matter had been to give the warning. It had been given and now he needed to focus on the task set before him: convincing the council to join the war against the mandalorians.


	14. Chapter 12

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 12<p>

The air was still thick with smoke. Ground dry and cracked under Avner's boots as he walked through the wreckage of a city. Dust flew into the air by a light breeze which tugged at Avner's cloak.

He'd since separated himself from the others as they helped pull the injured or scared from the wreckage. It wasn't by much only enough that Avner could get some room to move and search for what he needed to sway the council. He stopped and scanned crumbling buildings around him. If only they'd been here sooner. His fingers dug into the palm of his hand.

The lives of those who'd called this city home were now wrecked. Avner knew that this was unavoidable in war, but it made him think all the more of those he'd left behind on Tarnith. So much had been lost already, how much more would fall before the Mandalore? How many more lives had to parish before the council thought this as much of a threat as Sith?

"You see the destruction they've wrought?" Arren came up to stand beside Avner. Her sightless eyes seeming to look out over the same destruction Avner was.

"Yes," Avner stated. "But we can do so little to aid those who've lost so much because of the battles raged here." Yet, neither the Republic nor the Mandalorians had managed to win the last three battles. How many more would rage across this land before the stalemate was broken or the groups just gave up and moved on?

"Even that little will make a difference to those who live here," Arren pointed out. She touched Avner's shoulder. "But will be pointless in the long run if Mandalore isn't stopped."

Avner looked at his former master, frowning. Then he sighed, "You've a point. Though, I doubt even that will stop the senseless bloodshed." He turned his gaze back on the wrecked city. "Master Kae," he started after a time, "can you help Darious with injured?"

"Of course," she said with a slight bow and a small, almost knowing smile. She moved off to where the others had spread out in a circle around the transport.

Avner could just sense Darious near the transport seeing to the injured others were bringing in. Despite the pain which seemed to roll off of the people around here, Avner didn't move to help just then. His eyes skimmed the landscape. It felt as if their group was being watched and it wasn't by someone who was friendly.

After several long moments of staring hard at nothing, Avner sighed. Perhaps he was just imagining things. He turned and moved to where he sensed someone trapped under a pile of wreckage. With the force for aid, he managed to dig the person out and helped them over to where Darious and Master Kae were.

The others were still close to the transport, moving in small groups the further out they went. It'd been Avner's suggestion to not leave anyone on their own, to search in groups of two to four in order to help watch one another's backs. Perhaps it was something left over from his childhood growing up on the streets and perhaps it was just the fact he had an uneasy feeling about this place.

Avner moved off once more, keeping one eye on the groups around him and his senses on high alert. It wasn't just for danger though; he was trying to pick up any life signs buried deep down in the rubble. He paused and looked around. There was no one in the range he was searching in. Though, nearby, one of the groups was digging a young girl from the wreckage.

"Hey!"

Avner didn't turn at the sound of Alek's voice.

"You really should take your own advice and travel in a group, Avner," Alek stated, for once calling Avner by name. In the past several years it'd driven Avner to no ends of frustration that even his best friend was referring to him as "master" now.

"You're right, I really should," Avner stated and turned to Alek. "Do you sense anything off?" he asked his friend after a short pause.

"Off how?" Alek asked as he started towards the next section of wreckage.

Avner followed him. "As if someone's watching us," he confessed.

"Not really." Alek shrugged. "Perhaps you're just being paranoid." Alek nudged Avner in the ribs with his elbow.

"Perhaps," there was no amusement in Avner's voice or his normal retort towards Alek's teasing. It was too serious of a matter right then for a joke.

Alek seemed to pick up on this. "You're dead serious on this." He stopped walking and closed his eyes. "I only sense a few people close by and most of them feel weak," he confessed after several long moments.

"It's more a feeling than anything else," Avner told him.

Shrugging, Alek stated, "Then we stay on alert for an attack. Come on, those people have waited long enough for aid." He strode over to where a woman had taken shelter with her children.

Avner hesitated and glanced around. Perhaps Alek was right and just keeping alert was for the best right then. Before Avner could follow his friend, his vision blurred as it had back on the transport several days ago.

Images raced over Avner's vision. A world appeared before him with a moon orbiting close to the planet. The moon was green and rich with jungle. It was the planet of Onderon and its closest moon, Dxun. Fires raged across the lush land. The flag of the Mandalorian clans rose from the ashes.

"Master?!"

Avner snapped back to himself and shook his head.

"What's wrong?" it was Alek. "You were just standing there, looking off into the distance."

"Sorry," Avner stated and moved to help his friend with people he'd been trying to help. Avner would tell Alek about what he'd just seen later. He needed time to think on it before then.

Onderon was an inner world of the Republic. What Avner knew about it was only a little. The current ruler was Queen Talia, a supporter of the Jedi council and a friend to Master Kavar. Beyond this, he knew that the planet had been attacked by the mandalorians during the Great Sith War that Exar Kun had led. The mandalorians had been unable to take the planet and were reported to have retreated from it soon after the attempt. This was all Avner knew of the world.

What if the mandalorians had never fully left the system and were still there, biding their time? If this was so, then it would pose a great threat to the Republic in the long run. If an inner system was being threatened now by the mandalorian forces, then it might also be the proof Avner and the rest of this group needed to get the council and the Order involved in the war. Even still, the thought of them being on a world so close to the core of the Republic sent a chill straight through Avner.

By the time Avner got a chance to speak with Arren again it was near midday and most of the group had stopped to take a break. He moved over to his old master, gesturing for Alek to come with him. She was seated in the shade of the transport, meditating.

"Master Kae," Avner started as he stopped before her. He sat down across from her while Alek shifted behind Avner. "I had—"

"A vision about Onderon?" she asked, opening her sightless eyes. "Yes, I thought as much. I had one as well. Tell me of the one you had?"

Avner would've gaped if he'd not known his old master as well as he did. Instead he told her of what he'd seen. "I don't normally like putting stock in visions, _especially_ ones that I have," he confessed at the end of the description.

"And, yet, you gave Lucien a warning when you had a vision about the five padawans?" both of Arren's eyebrows rose in question. "So you must believe pieces of these visions."

Avner sighed. "As you used to say, the force rarely gives a vision without it having some meaning. But I'm not a seer and have never been trained to read into visions."

"The visions that are given by the force are more reliable than the ones seers force to come as it is," Master Kae told him. "I believe there is a very good reason both of us saw Onderon, though my vision was different compared to yours. Perhaps the answers you seek in the here and now can be found there."

"What of your vision, master?" Avner asked. Perhaps there were more clues in her vision than there had been in his. After all, Master Kae was a well renowned seer, though her other beliefs and teaching method had made it so most everyone in the Order avoided her and went to those Lucien's mother had taught instead.

"It showed Kavar on the planet so I doubt it has much to do with the now," Master Kae told him.

Well, so much for that one. Avner took a deep breath before he looked from Arren to Alek and back. "I know the Mandalore who was in the Great Sith War had tried to take Onderon back then but was unsuccessful," he told them. "There is a possibility that some, if not all, of the forces he'd sent there stayed near the planet."

"Why would they?" Alek asked as he joined them on the ground. "I'm not saying anything against your vision, Avner, but why would anyone stay near a planet they failed to take for over _thirty_ years."

"I don't know… perhaps they were cut off once the war ended. And only now that Mandalore the Ultimate is on the move they're ready to strike again at his command. But this is just a thought."

Alek hesitated. "I'll admit it's worth investigating, but we only just got to Suurja. What are we going to tell the others? That we're packing up only after a few hours of what we came here to do?"

"No," Avner shook his head before he placed his hand on his chin. After several long moments, he continued, "I think that only I should travel to Onderon to investigate this. If all of us appear there it could cause unrest among the citizens and would make the mandalorians all the more difficult to find."

"True," Arren nodded and turned her sightless gaze on Alek. "Though, it could cause problems among this group as well. You're the leader after all."

Avner winced at her words. It was subtitle reminder that they'd not gotten the council to see the war as a real threat. "I know," Avner stated, "but Alek was established as my second long ago. They'd listen to him and someone _has_ to investigate this matter."

"So you're saying you leave to make certain the mandalorians aren't going to attack the inner rim right away, while we stay here in order to help the Republic as much as we can," Alek stated. He grinned. "If anyone was to go it would be you. I've never been good at playing politics or slinking around."

"Keep in mind that if another battle does breakout, you're to keep the group out of it," Avner advised. "We can't risk getting on the Council's bad side… or further onto it, at this point in time."

"I know, I know," Alek stated and sighed. "If another battle does breakout we'll lend aid only through healing and getting soldiers out of a bind, as we'd agreed before."

"Good." Avner stood. "I'd best head out then." He held out his hand to his friend. "May the force be with you, Alek."

Alek laughed. "Sorry… Master, but _you'll_ need the force with you far more than I will." Alek clasped Avner's hand in his. "Be careful and be certain not to get trapped behind enemy lines again."

"I'll watch my step."

xxx

Several days had passed since Alek had been left in charge of the small group. Before Avner had departed he'd announced to everyone where he was going and why he had to go alone. The others had listened and seemed to understand for the most part why Avner was doing this. Many of them, like Alek, believed this might just be the break they'd been looking for.

Alek was kneeling on one of the wrecked buildings, binoculars to his eyes. Ferroh was nearby on the ground moving through the streets away from a battalion of Mandalorian neo-crusaders. Their group had been on a consent retreat away from the encroaching mandalorian groups while trying not to fully reveal themselves to the Republic just yet.

Moving the binoculars away from Ferroh, Alek could just make out the Republic soldiers heading straight for the mandalorians. Neither group seemed to have noticed the Jedi who'd moved away from them, even a day ago when Alek had ordered the transport to be hidden among the wreckage of the city… it had been one of the ideas Avner had left behind.

Master Arren Kae and Darious were on the transport right then with a few of the younger members of their group. Alek was leading a scouting party through the wreckage of the last clash between mandalorian warriors and Republic soldiers. Or he had been leading it. He'd taken over the watch position over an hour ago. Ferroh was on the ground right then leading those who were down there as well towards the injured soldiers or civilians.

"There's a small group breaking off from the mandalorians," Alek warned Ferroh. "We're going to have to call it soon," he warned and grimaced. In front of the others he couldn't let it show that he disliked and frankly disagreed with Avner's orders to stay out of the fighting, but when alone like this he could all he wanted.

"Understood," Ferroh replied.

While Alek could completely understand his friend's reasoning, he really disliked slinking around battles. Since he'd been a youngling with Avner on Dantooine, Alek had always been the one out of the two of them to leap into battles in order to defend himself and his two friends. It had been Avner who'd consoled against the fighting and found ways around it. Alek used to tease him constantly about having a slick way with words.

With war on the horizon though, Avner would soon have to choose between trying to obey the Order and the masters or following through with going to war. Alek would be the first to admit he had reservations about what they were doing. In the same instance he, like Avner, knew that if the Jedi didn't act then this war could be all but lost.

The group of mandalorians were picking up the pace now, seeming to have caught sight of one of the Jedi. Alek could've cursed this turn. "Full retreat," he ordered over the comm. before he stood. He tucked the binoculars away. Leaping to the next building, Alek kept his senses on full alert. He raced across the rooftop before leaping to the next then the next. Before too long he was near the point the mandalorians were.

Alek leapt down and blasted them back before he turned and raced back into the wreckage. The force flowed strongly through him as he used it to increase his speed. Soon none but a fellow force user would've been able to keep pace with Alek. He skidded to a stop and leapt back up onto a building. He could barely make out the group of mandalorians halted and looking around.

"Head back to the ship now," Alek ordered, hand on his comm. link. "The mandalorians won't be following." With those words he tucked away his comm. before heading towards the ship as well.

Alek was the last of the scouting party to arrive. There were a small group of civilians and soldiers behind the shuttle and well hidden from any who might pass this area. He could sense Master Kae out among them, trying to heal the wounds to the best of her ability.

"The mandalorians saw someone," Alek told them, "apart from myself. We need to be more careful in the future." The words were something he felt Avner would've said.

"Sorry, Squint, it was me, I think," stated one of the younger members who'd been in the group. "Should I be on scouting duty next time then?" he asked.

"We'll see," Alek stated his eyes now on Darious who was racing towards them.

"Alek, there's a transmission from Onderon. It's master," he informed Alek quickly.

The others around them brightened at once. "Has master found anything?" asked the young Jedi who'd been spotted.

"I don't know," Darious told them. "He's probably just arrived and is checking in. He was asking for Alek."

Alek nodded and followed Darious towards the ship. Once out of earshot he muttered, "Thank you, I don't have a clue what I was going to tell that young man."

Darious laughed. "Thank Avner for his good timing then, not me."

Entering the ship behind Darious, Alek let out a low breath when he saw no one was in the transport right then. Darious led the way over to the communicator. There was a flickering hologram of Avner, hooded as always these days, there.

"Alek," Avner started in way of greeting, "I just got news another battle's broken out there."

"Yes," Alek confirmed, "but none of us are engaging the mandalorians unless it's to get away from them or self-defense," Alek informed him. Was this why Avner had called, to point out what Alek already knew? He seriously doubted it.

"You're really not liking that, are you?" Avner seemed to read straight through Alek as always.

"No," Alek confessed, "but I do understand why we have to run from the fights." His eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I just don't like watching soldiers being killed when I know we could do something to stop it."

"Disobeying the council fully will only cause more problems than rushing into battle would solve," Avner told them, "but I do understand your frustrations, Alek. If we get the evidence we need _or_ support from the Republic military then we can act."

"Easier said than done," Alek stated.

"True," Avner sounded more than a little amused by this. "I'm calling also to inform you that I've arrived. Also, Alek, there does seem to be something odd going on here. I'm going to be silent for a time, undercover. A Jedi sticks out too much here."

"All right, I'll keep comm. silence then," Alek stated, liking that even less than not fighting. Avner was like his brother, closer than any blood brother ever could be in fact. "Before that, though, are you planning on acting even if Kavar and the rest of the council don't?" Alek asked the question which had been nagging at him for the past two years.

There was a long pause before Avner replied, "I will do what must be done for the Republic and its people. May the force be with you." With those words the transmission ended.

"I think that was a 'yes,' coming from him," Darious observed with a smile.

Alek nodded. "Or as much of one as we'll get."


	15. Chapter 13

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 13<p>

The light layer of armor Avner wore in place of his robes felt almost too heavy to him. Though, he did admit that if it came to battle the added protection would be most welcome. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. After all he was only here to gather information. Then he'd be heading back towards Suurja and those he'd left there.

Avner entered the cantina and took a seat at one of the tables. He kept his eye out for anyone who might be working for the mandalorians. Even if they weren't directly on this planet, there was something here that made it clear they were nearby. All Avner had to do was discover where they were on Dxun and if they were on Dxun at all. To do this he would need to be recruited or seen as a recruit for the mandalorian clan here. This was assuming there was one here.

After several long moments of sipping a drink and watching the entrance, two people entered. At first glance they were common thugs, mercenaries, but there was away they walked and held themselves which reminded Avner of the mandalorians he'd fought and seen on Tarnith.

"We're not going to find any damned recruits here," hissed the shorter of the two men. The two of them took the table before Avner's. "None on Onderon would last three seconds as one of us."

"He ordered all groups to be on the lookout for recruits," the taller retorted. "We need to get at least one recruit to not look bad when the order to attack comes in."

This peeked Avner's interest at once. Attack, on Onderon? That was if they were from the group that had been trapped here since the Great Sith War. Even if they weren't, it was still disturbing hearing them speaking about recruiting. They were mandalorian, there was no denying this. This meant that Avner needed to uncover what they were really up to. The only way to do this was to be recruited which held its own risks.

Leaning further back in his seat, Avner kept one watchful eye on the two mandalorains. He held his drink loosely as if he were going to continue drinking it, but all his attention was trained on the two before him.

"How long do you think it will be until the order comes in?" asked the shorter one.

"Can't be long now, can it?" grunted the taller.

"Don't know, but I'm itching for a good fight."

Avner placed the drink down along with several credits. They were going to just sit there and the one piece of information he'd really needed it didn't seem they knew. Standing, Avner glanced around. A small fight would draw the attention of the mandalorians. A shiver raced down his spin at the thought. It was for the greater good. _There is no emotion; there is peace_. Avner steeled himself before he started forward.

He bumped into a tall twi'lek who'd been staggering a little on his way to get another drink. "_Watch it_!" the twi'lek shoved him back.

Avner staggered, falling into the mandalorians' table. "You watch it!" he snapped back, leaping back to his feet. He swung a punch at the twi'lek. The blow struck the twi'lek hard on the side of his face.

He staggered, snarling as his hand short towards a blaster pistol.

Avner was faster, pulling out a blaster and pointing it at the twi'lek. "I wouldn't," he stated. Damn that was the wrong thing to say. "Not unless you want this to turn into a full on fire fight!" Still the wrong thing, but it was hard to think in the mindset of mandalorian. Their people were just so different from the Jedi.

The twi'lek glanced at Avner's blaster then let his hand lower. "_Whatever, just watch where you're going next time_," he growled before continuing on his way.

Avner lowered the blaster before placing it back into the holster. At least it hadn't actually come to a full on fight. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt someone just get the attention of the mandalorians.

"You there."

Avner whipped around to see the two mandalorians were looking at him with some interest. "What?" Avner asked. "Don't tell me you want to fight too?" his hand rested on the blaster pistol.

"Hold up, kid," stated the taller of the two with a smile. "We're interested in something else." He moved over to Avner whispered, "How would like to be part of the force that's going to take down the Galactic Republic?"

"Depends on what forces you mean," Avner replied in just as low a voice.

"Come with us and we'll show you." With that he released Avner's shoulder and started towards the entrance. His companion followed close behind.

Avner hesitated before he followed as well. Hopefully following through with this idea provided what was needed in order to get the High Council to see the threat a war with the mandalorians posed. If it didn't… if all this did was make matters worse, Avner didn't know what he'd do.

The night was cool and a soft breeze blew through the streets of Onderon's capital Iziz. "What forces did you mean?" Avner asked, hurrying to keep pace with the long, sure strides of the two mandalorians.

"Mandalore's," stated the shorter with a board grin. "What about it? You interested, kid?"

"Err," Avner hesitated before he nodded. "Sure, I've nothing going on anyway." Besides he really needed to learn how many were here and how soon they were going to attack the planet.

"You're going to have to prove your loyalty first, kid."

Wonderful! That was last thing Avner needed to hear. He wasn't going to attack any Republic soldiers and forget about the civilians. That was a line he'd _never_ cross. No matter how dire the situation got, no matter the stakes, he would never sacrifice a life. It did nothing to help the Republic and would only harm it in the long run.

"Why do the mandalorians even need recruits from outside the clans?" he asked. It would help him understand some of what was going on here at the very least.

"Where you've been since the last war, kid?" the taller of the two cocked a questioning eyebrow at Avner.

"Umm, well, I know the Republic was hit very hard. I guess it never occurred to me that the mandalorians were hit hard as well. So you're looking to have an army that is far more massive than the Republic's then?"

"We _already_ have that," bragged the smaller one, buffing out his large chest. "We're just making damn certain the Republic will be completely crushed when the invasion occurs."

A shiver raced through Avner. Ice felt as if it was forming in the pit of his stomach. "What's this test you had in mind?" he asked, forcing the words to be as even as possible. He'd known the mandalorians had more forces but never thought that they'd already outnumber the Republic military.

"How do you feel about killing Republic dogs?" sneered the shorter of the two.

Avner forced himself to keep walking. Oh, hell, this wasn't good. "Fine," he stated, hiding all emotion behind a careful façade. _There is no emotion; there is peace_, he repeated the opening phrase of the code over and over. The soothing words calmed his racing heart and made it so he could focus more clearly on the situation at hand.

"Get down," the taller one hissed and pulled Avner into cover. "You see those two out there," he pointed around the wall.

Avner peered around the bend and spotted two soldiers staggering towards the bridge and the palace. He nodded.

"They're Republic soldiers and should be drunk enough even an idiot like yourself could kill them. Face them like a warrior and prove yourself worthy to join us!" He shoved Avner out from behind the over.

Avner stumbled several paces before he regained his balance. He took a deep breath of the cool night air and straightened. Here went everything. He raced towards the two soldiers as quietly and quickly as he could without the force. He leapt on the first, tackling him to the ground. The force flowed through him. The soldier's eyes rolled as he fell into a trance.

"What the—?" The second soldier whipped out his blaster. "What the hell? Who-who are you?!"

Avner rolled to avoid the blaster fire. Leaping back to his feet, his eyes locked on the soldier. He jumped him, wrapping his arm around the soldier's neck without hurting him. Their momentum sent them to ground where the soldier started to struggle.

"Calm down," Avner whispered. "I'm going to put you into a trance like your friend, you'll wake in a few."

"Let me go!" gasped the soldier, too freaked to listen to a word Avner had just said.

"Sleep," Avner whispered, using the force once more. The man's struggles lessened as the influence of the force took hold of him. "Sleep," Avner repeated. The soldier went limp in Avner's hold.

Panting, Avner pushed the soldier off of him and stood. He'd wake them when the mandalorians left. If not they'd wake in about thirty minutes.

"Well done!" exclaimed the taller of the two, walking over to Avner. "You might just have what it takes to be a mandalorian after all."

"Gather your things and meet us in an hour, here," the shorter of the two told Avner and handed him a data-pad. "Don't be late."

"I won't be," Avner said with a bow of his head.

The two of them moved off. Avner waited until they were out of sight before he knelt down and revived the two soldiers.

"Wha—" the second one he'd placed into the trance touched his head. "What happened?"

"I'm really sorry about that," Avner said, "but it was necessary in order to learn what the mandalorians are planning."

"Like I should believe the man who just attacked us!" he snarled, glaring at Avner from where he sat.

"Who _are_ you?" asked the first one, eyeing Avner.

"I'm one of the Jedi following the crusader," Avner told them. "Our master sent me here to look into a vision some of us were having about mandalorian activity on Onderon and Dxun."

"You're one of the crusaders?"

"Yes, see?" Avner pulled out his lightsaber and showed it to them.

"Humph."

Avner leapt to his feet at the sound. He caught sight of the two mandalorians standing there. They must have reappeared while all of Avner's attention had been on the soldiers.

"Figured something was up. A recruit just falling into our hands so soon didn't seem likely. Time to die, Jedi dog!" Their blasters were out in a second.

xxx

"What do you mean the last group's not come back?" Alek asked Darious, eyes wide. "The fighting ended hours ago. Both sides have pulled out, what could've happened to them?"

"I don't know," Darious confessed. "But they're not back and no one can contact them."

Alek sighed and collapsed in one of the seats on the transport. What was he to do? This was the second group to go missing. The first had gone missing during a similar scouting mission in that same region. Alek had sent out this group to find them. What was he to do?

Gah! If only Avner were here. There was no doubt in Alek's mind that his friend would have some brilliant plan on how to solve this situation.

"Should I contact Avner?" Darious asked as if he'd read Alek's thoughts.

"No," Alek stated, "Avner will have his hands full with what he's doing." He stood. "I'll take Ferroh and several others with me to learn what's happened to _both_ those groups."

"What if _you_ don't return?" Darious demanded.

"Then contact Avner," Alek instructed, "and don't send anyone after us. Avner will know what to do and appoint someone else to lead." He moved towards the door.

"All right, but I still don't like it," Darious stated. "And Avner did tell us to keep comm. silence… just be careful, Alek."

"I will be."

Both of Darious' eyebrows rose at this.

"I _will_ be, Darious. You're worse than Avner!" With those words Alek exited the transport. "Ferroh!" he called to the cathar Jedi.

Ferroh broke off what he'd been saying to a fellow Jedi and raced over to Alek. "Yeah?"

"Gather a few others; we're going to scout the area for the missing groups."

"Got it, Squint!" he raced off to get a few others.

Alek followed gathering a few more that he thought might be able to help with this task. By the time he met up with Ferroh they had a good ten Jedi for this mission. "Let's move," he told them before heading out.

The group moved silently through the city. After the last battle nothing was left but a smoking ruin. Alek led them through the wreckage, keeping his senses on alert for the groups that had gone missing and more.

"Spread out, we need to find the others and we can't do that clumped up like this."

"You got it, Squint," Ferroh said and gestured to a few others. The group spread out a bit.

Alek moved further into the wreckage. They were close to where the groups had gone missing. Alek mounted a hill and dropped to ground as he sensed movement.

"Squint," it was Ferroh, "you need to see this," the cather told him in a hushed voice.

Alek nodded and moved up to where the other Jedi was laying on his stomach. He peered over the rise. At once his eyes widened at the sight which greeted him. Well over a hundred ships were spread out below them, hidden by the rise from any who would've come this way.

"Didn't master see this?" Ferroh whispered, "In the vision which led us here?"

"Yes," Alek confirmed, remember what Avner had said about seeing ships hidden on Suurja. But this was far more than even Avner would've thought possible or been able to see. If Avner knew, would he go through with part of a plan Alek had seen him making from time to time? Would he still wait to see the council's reaction? If the _council _knew, what would they do?

"We need to tell the others," Ferroh started. He moved for his comm. link.

"That won't happen," stated a voice behind them.

Alek turned and rolled only just avoiding blaster fire. Damn, he really shouldn't have dropped his guard like that. He tumbled down the hill until he managed to get his footing and leapt back up, drawing his lightsaber in a fluid motion.

"You're completely surrounded!" shouted a mandalorain who stood atop one of the many roofs.

The others were spread out, some with their lightsabers out and others grappling hand to hand with several mandalorians. Alek twisted his blade before he charged the closest mandalorian.

Blaster fire echoed around him. Several bolts bounce off his blade. He dodged a few more. Sparks flew into the air as his lightsaber sliced through the blaster a mandalorian held. He leapt to one side only just dodging being tackled by another.

Nearby he could see the others struggling to hold their ground against more mandalorians. They were completely overwhelmed. His grip tightened on his lightsaber.

A jab of pain in his right arm warned Alek he might have twisted it when he'd dodged.

Several more mandalorians came at him. A vibro blade clashed against his 'saber. Alek lashed out at the mandalorians with force. Two of them skidded back. He leapt and dodged, blocked and attacked to no avail. More and more appeared to take the place of those he'd taken down.

Panting, Alek backed up, eyes flickering from enemy to enemy. He wasn't about to lose to this group. What had all his training been for if not to win in this battle?!

All around the others were being disarmed and subdued. There was no way Alek would abandon his fellow Jedi, but he couldn't just back down either it went against all he'd been trained to do.

The roar of a jetpack filled the air. Pain shot through Alek as a mandalorian tackled him full force. They fell to the ground. His lightsaber was thrown from his grip and rolled away. He kicked the mandalorian, fighting to get him off. They rolled. Alek managed to get on top, punching the mandalorian. Only the sting of the armor against his fist came as a result.

"It's over, Jedi!"

Alek stopped in the attack to see a mandalorian pointing his blaster at Alek's head. It really was over. Alek stood and backed away from the mandalorian he'd been attacking. The mandalorian got to his feet and stuck Alek hard in the shoulder. Alek gasped and shot a glare at the mandalorian but didn't otherwise react.

"I had it under control, Commander Rohlan!" snapped the mandalorian who'd stuck Alek.

"Get this group rounded up and taken to flashpoint," Rohlan ordered. He turned his masked gaze on the mandalorian who'd snapped at him. "Now, we don't want to keep Demagol waiting for this latest patch."

"Tch." The mandalorian turned to Alek and hit him the back with blaster. "Move it, Jedi."

Alek staggered, but didn't resist. His entire body was aching from the fight and there was no way he could get out of this situation without being killed or abandoning the others. So much for keeping his promise to Avner… if he'd been here, this would never have happened.

Alek and the others were placed into one of the many ships, their arms and legs bound so they couldn't put up anymore of a fight.

"Where do you think they're going to take us?" Ferroh asked after a time.

"Does it matter?" asked another in the group. "Wherever they're taking us, we're dead!"

"We all knew the risks going to the front would have," Alek stated. "You're a Jedi, there is no death."

"There is only the force," the others all finished.

Though, Alek did admit that was little comfort to him. He wanted to say something more to calm them down, but couldn't think of anything. The rest of the trip passed in complete silence. When they arrived, Alek and the others were forced into space suits and out onto a small, almost dead looking planet… Flashpoint. The station and world had been captured before the first battle of Suurja. Alek remember Avner mentioning it to him sometime ago.

Alek was thrown to the floor within a large room. He was back on his feet in an instant only to be struck down by a blaster once more. He gasped as he struggled against the mandalorians taking the suit off of him. He was then thrown again into another room. Blood trickled from his mouth from the last strike.

"Squint!" several people shouted as he struck the ground. The mandalorians had retreated to stand near the doors.

"What are you doing here?" the leader of the last scouting party Alek had sent out asked. He kneeling by Alek.

"We came in search of you," Alek stated. "Guess we got more than we thought."

"Yeah. Did you see the ship?"

Alek nodded. "Not that that will do anyone any good now." His looked around the space. There were several missing from the groups that had been sent out. All of them were Jedi who he knew had only just passed their trials or had been older.

"We couldn't get a message back before we were captured," Ferroh explained. "Why are they gathering all of us here anyway?"

"For," – the other winced – "experiments. Apparently Mandalore wants to know all he can about Jedi and our abilities."

Alek felt sick at the thought.

"Ah, fresh arrivals," a cold voice made Alek look up. A mandalorian stood at the far side of the room. His helmet was covered in blood and armor of a different design from all the others around him. He was thinner and of a lighter build than those guarding the doors. "You'll make fine additions to my studies. I've so many theories about Jedi and their abilities after all."

"That's Demagol," Alek was informed, "Mandalore's lead scientist."


	16. Chapter 14

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 14<p>

Avner moved so he stood before the Republic soldiers. His lightsaber hummed to life seconds before blaster fire echoed through the night. The blots shot off in random directions, some deflected by the blade and others through the force.

Avner sent a wave of the force towards the two. They skidded back several inches, staggering as they tried to keep their balance. In the next moment blaster fire sounded from behind Avner. The soldiers fired on the shorter of the two, trying to take him down first.

Racing forward, Avner needed to get to one of them before they were both killed. He leapt into the air as he slashed down with his 'saber. Sparks flew as the blade sliced through the barrel of the blaster. He landed on the taller mandalorian just as the other fell beside him.

Avner flicked his blade up so it pointed at the mandalorian's neck. "Are your forces stationed on Dxun?" he asked. "Why are you recruiting now?" he used the force to make certain the mandalorian would answer the questions.

"Y-yes," he muttered, eyes glazed. "The order c-came in from Mandalore to-to recruit new blood to the ranks, for a full sca-scale attack."

So they were going to attack after all. But, when? He doubted even this grunt knew. Sighing, Avner sheathed his lightsaber before he pulled the mandalorian to his feet and bound his arms. "Here," – he pushed the mandalorian towards the two soldiers – "you should take him into custody."

"What abut you, Master Jedi?" asked one of the soldiers as he took the mandalorian from Avner.

"I'm going to head for Dxun," he told them, "see if I can find the base."

"Alone?" the soldier's eyes widened.

"I'm not planning on _attacking_ the base besides it's more to just see if what this one told us is true or not."

"The base will move before you can stop us," spat the mandalorian.

"I'm well aware of that," Avner stated.

"But how will you look over an entire moon?" demanded one of the soldiers stepping towards Avner.

"That is something I'll have to figure out. Thank you for your help and I am sorry about earlier." Avner bowed to them. "I hope the rest of your evening is peaceful." With those words, Avner left the group, heading back through the city to the landing zone.

He'd left his robes on the shuttle he'd been able to acquire for the trip. In all honesty, he didn't have the credits for a room here let alone a good meal this evening. He wasn't here on "official" business from the Order so he wouldn't be able use that to gain aid as it was from the government. What little credits he'd had he'd used to blend in while in the cantina as well as to buy this armor, which had been lowered in prince _only_ because he was Jedi.

If a base was discovered here… well, Avner would just have to tell the queen and hope she believed him then head for Coruscant and tell the council. They were even less likely to believe him. Even still he had to try at the very least.

Once Avner was back in the shuttle, he was more than grateful to return to his robes. He knelt down and pulled a ration from the small bag. At least he'd had enough to sense to take a few with him.

Sighing, Avner moved to the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's seat. He only hoped that Dxun would hold the key to convincing the council that action was needed. If not… well, then he would try a few more ways before entering the war. There was away to do so _without_ going against the council. It was to enter one of the corps in the military. Avner hadn't yet contacted their leader, but he would in the days to come and depending on the outcome of his next meeting with the council.

When Avner had finished the ration, he started up the shuttle. It was for the best to head out now. He steered the shuttle from the hanger and took it up towards Dxun. The fuel in the shuttle was just enough to get him to Dxun and back. He wasn't certain how he would get to Coruscant afterwards, let alone back to the others.

The trip to Dxun was a short one. Soon the shuttle was entering the atmosphere of the moon. Heavy fog hung over the trees, covering them in a thick, gray blanket. It took Avner some time to find a clearing to land the shuttle in. He cut the engine and sat back in his seat. Closing his eyes, he reached out with the force, spreading out his awareness.

Life covered the moon in the form of dense jungle and animals that would be less than happy to see Avner there. He couldn't see far beyond the shuttle thanks to the density of life here, but it would have to do. He would just have to be careful while looking for the mandalorian base.

Avner stood and made certain his lightsaber was on his belt. Here went everything. He took a deep breath before he left the shuttle. He made certain the hatch was sealed before heading off into the thick jungle. Life moved all around him. He was able to steer away from it from time to time. Soon Avner found himself with his lightsaber out.

A cannok was pawing the ground before Avner. It was getting ready to charge him down. Avner lift his free hand, reaching out to the beast with the force. Master Kae had once taught Avner how to calm the mind of such animals. He moved towards the cannok. Soon it stopped pawing the ground and looked around before it lumbered off.

Letting out a breath, Avner sheathed his 'saber. He needed to move fast. The animals here weren't the only things that would rip off his head if he were caught. He kept moving, senses on high alert for anything that would attack him. Here, on this moon, he knew he was the prey and just about everything that moved was the predator. The moon hadn't gotten the reputation it had for nothing.

Voices came through the jungle to Avner. He hid himself behind a tree and listened as the voices approached. By the sounds of it, they were speaking mando'a. Right then he thanked the force he'd been studying the langue since his time on Tarnith.

"_I hate patrolling_," one of them was saying.

"_It's better than standing around waiting for our next orders. Soon though we'll be in battle_."

Avner heard them pass his hiding place and started follow them, using the trees for cover. This was the only chance he really had at finding their base and he wasn't about to pass it up. Each step was light and quiet as he moved after the two mandalorians. Before too long they stopped and looked around before entering a system of cliffs.

Avner hesitated. There might not be any place to hide from them in there. But was he really willing to risk giving up this chance? The answer to that question was "no," he wasn't willing to risk it. Avner slipped from his hiding place and edge to the entrance. Not too far ahead of him the two continued on their way unaware that Avner was following them.

He raced over to several bushes and knelt down before waiting for another chance to continue on. It was over an hour before the two mandalorians reached their destination. Avner leapt up onto the cliff side and edged forwards until he could see below.

What greeted him made his blood run cold. It wasn't a small base like he'd expected to find, not at all. Instead it was massive. Several battalions worth of mandalorians were below and that was just the tip of it all. A ship was docking in the distance and several basilisk war droids thrummed through the air. The sheer numbers pointed to the fact that this base was one of their major operating centers. There was no way the queen could have her forces take care of this… it would take a massive army, more forces than this system could ever really have on Onderon.

Avner swallowed and pushed himself back a bit. If the council didn't act on this, there was no way Avner could just sit back. Not now, not with this level of threat pressing down on the Republic. His hand was shaking, but not from the fear at this sight. It was something else that made him shake… excitement? But why was he excited? This was bad. Perhaps it was his own thoughts on what needed to be done, finally being cemented into place.

For several long moments, Avner just sat there, staring at the ships docking. His mind still racing through all that could be done and all that would need to be done. There was so much at stake now. Far more than he'd originally believed. The council _had_ to act. If they didn't… if they refused to do so once more, then it was up to those few who followed Avner to act, but how?

Giving himself a small shake, Avner shoved these thoughts away. His first priority was to get back to Onderon. From there he could get back to Coruscant and speak with the council. Then he could decide on what to do after that. Acting so irrationally would only hurt the group in the end.

By the time Avner arrived back at the shuttle, the light had dimmed on the moon. It was almost like night planet side; though he knew that it would be day by the time he got down there again. He entered the shuttle.

When he docked in Iziz the sun was well above the horizon. Despite this Avner felt drained, yet, his mind raced unable to leave what he'd seen on Dxun alone. He sighed and shook his head. He needed to rest, to figure out how to get some fuel, and to speak with the others before making a time to meet with the High Council. It would be a good week or two before _any_ of that could happen.

Sighing, Avner stood and stretched. He'd best figure out how to get the shuttle refueled before anything else. He tugged up his hood, making certain shadows hid his features before stepping off the shuttle. Glancing around, there was no one around to even notice Avner. He sighed again. Where the heck was everyone?

He left the hanger and moved into the larger port. There was no one there either despite the fact the sun was well up. Only a few droids tend to the area. He moved over to a holo which would give him the news. In moments of turning it on, he knew why no one was around. The queen was out today and all of the security in the area would be assigned to protect her. This also meant that _everyone_ was flocking to get a look at the queen.

For several long moments, Avner weighed the thought of going out into the city dressed as he was. Finally he decided he should and left the cities port. There were a few people in the streets when he appeared, but none who really looked like they'd have a legal way to get fuel or would even talk to a Jedi. They eyed Avner as he passed them, giving him looks that ranged from dirty to suspicious to downright angry.

The few other people there were racing away to get to wherever the queen would be. Avner followed those, though at a slower pace. All his wishes to speak with the queen where gone at this point. He didn't want to tell her about the base so that she could throw away countless lives to try and stop the mandalorians… or, worse, she thought Avner was completely ridiculous for having even mentioned such a thing.

A large mob had congregated at the end of the Sky Ramp. Avner could just make out guards holding people back from the queen. By the looks of it they were trying to clear a path for her. Though, they weren't being very successful.

There was really nothing Avner could do until the hype had died down. He let out a small breath and leaned against the wall at the back of the crowd. His shadowed gaze was locked on the mob and the group guarding Queen Talia. Sometime… okay all the time, crowds like this confused Avner. It was a person of note, yes, but that didn't mean crowds of people had to flock around said person every time they chose to appear. In the same instance it was a rather amusing sight to behold.

He was just thankful that he'd never be a person of note in any way, shape, or form. People thronging around him would get rather unsettling. Granted, he had become known on the holo-net as of late, but this was very different. Hell, most people still wrote him off even as the war drew closer and closer to the Republic.

With a small shake of his head, Avner shoved these thoughts away. Right now he needed to focus on either getting the credits or finding some other way to get the fuel needed to get back to Coruscant. Impossible as it was in that instance. In the same moment he could just head back to the shuttle and sleep for a bit as well. It would at the least pass the time until the hype died down and he could come out to do what was needed.

Turning, Avner was about to head back to the shuttle when he sensed someone moving through the crowd towards him. He turned his attention back on the crowd to see it was the queen. What the…? Avner was caught in a moment of indecision. He wasn't certain if the queen was just heading in this direction or she was really heading towards him. No, he doubted she would have any interest in someone like him. He was just a Jedi… the Jedi who believed war was coming, making his standing even worse. She was the kind of person who had the attention of masters on the council after all.

He looked away from her. Sleep deprivation was getting to him. He rubbed his eyes and started off. Perhaps he should've slept the night before last instead of thinking on matters while he'd been in hyperspace or the night before that one… okay he had slept some that night.

"Master Jedi," a clear voice sounded over the noise of the crowd.

Avner turned yet again and noticed that queen was looking at him. Okay, perhaps sleep deprivation wasn't what had gotten to him after all. "Yes, your majesty?" Avner asked as he bowed to the queen.

"Come, I'd like to speak with you," the queen stated.

He hesitated before he walked over to the queen. The two of them went back through the crowd of on lookers towards the Sky Ramp. Muttering followed them, most seemed to have recognized Avner as the Jedi Crusader. For the reason he was the Crusader, Avner couldn't figure out why the queen wanted to speak with him.

It wasn't until they were on the Sky Ramp away from the crowd that the queen spoke again. "I must admit I'm a little shocked that it was you who was here and not another Jedi," she confessed. "Then to see you still here…" she trailed off.

"I promise I'm not here to cause problems for you or your world," Avner stated with a slight bow.

"I never was going to say you were. In fact I wanted to thank you for your help last night. I thought you'd already be on your way by now."

"I would've been," Avner stated, "but I've no fuel," he confessed. In the long run not telling her why he was still here would hurt more than anything else. He didn't expect to be just given fuel. Something like that never happened to him… at least, it hadn't since he'd started to try to find someway to convince the council to enter the war.

The queen frowned. "Stay the day and the fuel will be yours," she stated.

Avner stopped walking, not certain he'd heard her correctly. "Forgive me, majesty, but you're just going to give me the fuel?" Avner asked.

"If you stay and rest today," she told him. "By the sounds of it you've been up all night and even Jedi need sleep."

"Thank you, majesty," Avner said with a deep bow.

"Now, tell me about your beliefs on the invasion that's coming."

Well over an hour later, Avner was seen to rooms within the palace. He was more than happy to get some much needed sleep. He only bothered with taking off his boots before collapsing onto the bed. He was asleep the second his head hit the pillow.

When Avner woke, the room was dark with only the smallest amount of light coming in through the window. He blinked before he slowly sat up. It was late judging by the fact he could see the moon through the window.

There would be no point in leaving so late. Besides, he'd not really checked up on the news reports since arriving here. This in and of itself wasn't a good thing. While cut off from the rest of his group the news was his only line to the front.

Avner crossed the spacious room and sat down in the chair there. The holo in the middle of the room flickered to life. The holo showed the streets of Taris before the Jedi temple there. It wasn't anything to do with the front whatsoever.

As Anver listened to it, it became apparent that his warning had fallen on deaf ears when he'd been on Taris. The Padawans had been massacred and Zanye was taking the fall for all of it. The child was being a tested in ways that one never should've, forced into a situation by the very person who'd been meant to protect and guide him.

"—Even _before_ the controversial departure of many knights to join the war. A crusade from which some are _already_ missing in action!"

Avner stared at the holo-news. The rest of the report was falling on deaf ears. Blood roared through his ears as a rush of heat. He should never have left the others on the front. He should never have left them _at all_.

Standing, Avner shut off the report and moved to call the transport. For several long moments nothing happened. Then, finally, Darious answered the call.

"Master?" Darious said, looking rather shocked to see Avner calling.

"How many are missing?" Avner asked, skipping pleasantries and getting straight to the point of the call.

"How—?" Darious shook his head before told Avner. "About three scouting parties worth, around fifteen," he told Avner. There was a long pause before he said, "Alek is among the missing."

Avner felt as if his blood had gone cold as the full weight of what Darious had said sank in. Alek wasn't dead though, Avner knew he would've felt his friend's death if it had happened. Taking a deep breath, he recited the code in his mind before ordering, "You and Master Kae gather those who remain and had for Coruscant. We'll regroup there before heading after the others. They're still alive and we're not leaving them behind."

"Yes, Master!" Darious straightened, smiling. The call ended and Avner collapsed back into the seat. So much for foresight, so much for all that was discovered here and on Suurja. With Alek and so many others missing, the masters were bound to be more focused on that rather than the war. He would never leave Alek behind, but this was… all of this situation hurt. _There is no emotion; there is peace_, he repeated the phrase over and over until he finally started to feel calm once more.

xxx

Alek struggled against the hold several of the mandalorians had on him. This earned him a quick, sharp strike to the head. He gasped. It was the second time this had happened in the past day. The second time he was to see Demagol. His body still ached from the tests the mad man had run on him earlier. No amount of the force had helped with that.

Those holding Alek, strapped him into the bench upside down. He could just make out Demagol in the background preparing for his "latest" test. The mandalorian backed off and stood in the dark corner by the entrance to watch. Alek tested the bindings as he had the last time he'd been back here. It would take a lightsaber to break these and his lightsaber had been taken with all the others.

"You are by far one of the most interesting Jedi I've studied to date," Demagol stated as he looked through the tools before him. "You were the last one captured on Suurja and far heartier than the others." He pulled up a syringe, tapping it several times.

Alek eyed the liquid within the syringe. A nasty feeling filled him. He had a pretty good idea what was going to happen and had a feeling that the syringe contained some poison or another.

"There are reports from the last war which state that Jedi have a very high survival rate when it comes to chemicals and poisons." Demagol turned to Alek. His mask and armor still covered in dried blood splatter. "Let's see how much you can survive before it kills you, shall we?" He moved over to Alek and knelt down. "This vial contains just enough to kill a human of your size. We'll start with that."

The sleeve of his robes was torn way. A cold, sharp feeling of the needling sinking into his skin sent a jolt of pain through his arm. The next moment the jolt was replaced by fire. Alek cried out involuntarily as the poison entered him and began to work. His eyes rolled as the force filled him.

"Amazing," Demagol was muttering in the background, but Alek could barely him as he struggled against the poison, a struggle to hold to his life.

Alek trashed, gaze unfocused, body screaming in pain. He tried to focus on the force and what Avner had told him about getting poison from the body. The pain began to ease. Alek went limp, his head hitting the bench. His entire body was shaking from sheer exhaustion.

Demagol was kneeling before him again. Perhaps the insane mandalorian hadn't even moved through all of that. Alek didn't know and didn't care to.

"Let's see the effect that had on you," Demagol stated, sounding almost pleased by what had happened.

Pain shot through Aleck as the mandalorian set to work. He forced himself not to struggle but it didn't make it any better. It took all of his training to keep himself awake. There was no telling how much time passed before Demagol's assistant unstrapped Alek and caught him before he'd strike the ground.

"Bring that one back in the morning. I'm very interested in him and his abilities," Demagol instructed the other man.

Alek was passed to two other mandalorians who dragged him back to the waiting room. He was tossed to the ground.

"Squint!" Ferroh was beside Alek in an instant.

"I'm fine," Alek muttered, not feeling the least bit fine. The poison was still in his system though it wouldn't kill him he'd been feeling the affects of it for _days_ to come. All that he could do was hope that, perhaps, the force would guide someone here to help rescue all of them. By now Avner would know that Alek was missing, but would he be able to do anything about it? In the end, there was really no possible way to answer that question.


	17. Chapter 15

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 15<p>

It took Avner nearly a week to reach out to the Jedi High Council and it had nothing to do with him at all. Security on Coruscant and been tightened since the last time Avner had been there. He'd ended up having to stay on the shuttle again while he waited out background cheeks on himself by security.

During the time it'd taken for them check over Avner's records, the mandalorians had moved on Vanquo in a surprise attack. The Republic forces under Captain Karath had put up quite the fight from what Avner had been able to gather, but had been forced into a retreat, allowing Mandalore to take the planet. This left Taris wide open for an attack. Within the next few weeks, Avner had no doubt in his mind that Mandalore would move on Taris.

Now, there was no denying the fact the Republic was at war with the mandalorians. Vanquo had been a Republic controlled system and the last in the line of supply worlds for Taris. The council needed to sanction entry into the war so, least the Republic would end up facing this threat without the Council's aid. Avner knew that they wouldn't be facing it without Jedi aid though. Despite the fact he didn't much like the thought of going against the council, there might be no option left if they refused to see the threat this war posed to the Republic. For now, Avner needed to be patient and wait to see what course of action or inaction the council would take.

He sighed and sat down on the bunk he'd been given within the Jedi temple. Very chance he'd gotten, he'd reached out with the force in order to pinpoint Alek's location in the galaxy. From what Avner had been able to gather, his friend was behind the line on Flashpoint station. When the meeting was over with, Avner would take the group and go after Alek. It wouldn't be an easy mission but things such as this were rarely easy.

Shaking his head, Avner pulled his thoughts from his friend and back to the matter at hand. There was no time to waste. The sooner he saw them, the sooner the Jedi could lend aid to the Republic. Or, the sooner Avner would have the council's decision on what course they'd take.

"Patience," he muttered as he stood, "you need to be patient." The problem was all he'd been doing nothing since coming back to Coruscant was sitting in this room or on the shuttle. The only reason he minded this was that every moment he sat here doing nothing was another moment he could be convincing the council to take action and aid the Republic.

It was more than just the Republic that had Avner on edge. Alek was trapped behind enemy lines, worse he'd been _captured_ by the enemy. While Avner had been behind the lines it hadn't been the same. Right then Avner only knew his friend was still alive. But the force could only go so far.

By the time Avner was called to the council chambers the sun hung low in the sky. He stepped into the chamber to see that the sky beyond was stained red, but his attention wasn't on that for long. To his amazement most of the masters were there. For a brief moment Avner was swept up in shock at this. He stopped in the center of the round room and bowed low to the masters.

"Make this quick, Knight," Atris started, "there's another, far more important matter the council needs to see to."

Avner straightened. Of course they were all here for the meeting after his. It had nothing to do with Avner's discovery and everything to do with the "Sith." "Of course, masters, it wasn't my intention to keep you longer than necessary."

"Well?" both of the Vrook's eyebrows rose.

Avner took a deep breath. "The Mandalorians have a base on Dxun. From what I saw the force there is large enough to conquer Onderon and still have enough to spare for a scale attack on the other core worlds.

"The group I encountered on Onderon were in the process of recruiting more to their ranks. Mandalore's sent out an order for them to gather as many people to the clans as possible. They're planning on hitting the Republic with numbers that will cause the Republic forces to be overwhelmed."

"And the others? Those who are following you, how many of them saw this as well?" Kavar asked in even tones.

Avner hesitated before he confessed, "None. I went to Onderon alone."

There were several looks exchanged between the masters. Avner shifted a little. The looks told him all he really needed to know, but he forced himself to remain where he was.

"The council won't condone entering this war," Kavar told him after long moments. "Let alone the actions you took while on Onderon. The report you submitted was more than detailed enough."

"And while your report on what you saw at Onderon and Dxun is, of course, disturbing," Atris started, "nonetheless, you had no business investigating on your own!" There was a heat in her voice that made Avner's eyes narrow.

Of course, they hadn't called him here to give more detail to his report or anything like that. They hadn't even called him here to give some aid to the Republic forces. Instead all they were interested in was telling him off for doing a job they should've been handling over him.

"We're still rebuilding our ranks from the last war. We can't afford this kind of adventurism. Even if we were supporting it!" Atris' words were more an excuse than anything else. The order, while not as large as it had once been, was still better off than other times in their history. If the Sith had been involved in this matter then they wouldn't be acting this way at all. They would be at the Republic's side instead.

"And involving other knights and padawans in your 'scouting missions' was simply beyond reproach!" Vrook joined Atris in telling Avner off. The older master was looking at Avner with hard eyes.

Avner hadn't "involved" them on purpose. Most of them had joined of their own volition. Though, in the end they were all following Avner's plans. The council knew this as well as Avner did. What the council didn't know was that Avner had never wished to become the leader of this group, that he had been waiting for one of them to take to charge. It was the council's place not Avner's!

"And now we learn that some of them were abducted from Suurja before the surprise attack and after you left for Onderon! A refugee who saw it all told us!"

Would this shouting ever end? Avner was already aware of his mistake. What he didn't like was Vrook was making it sound as if Avner had left them on the planet _knowing_ there would be an attack on his fellow Jedi. When in reality, Avner hadn't known and would never have left them there if he had.

"You will find them and bring them directly back here. No diversion, no delay!"

Avner turned and started towards the door. His mind was racing with all of this. The council was brushing all of this off as if the Mandalorians weren't a threat at all. If they kept sitting on their hands, thousands – no, millions of innocents would be killed in the blink of an eye.

"There was no place for the Order in the wrangling over the outer rim, and there is certainly no place for it in the wider Mandalorian War!" Vrook continued as Avner neared the door.

This wasn't the Jedi way. It went against everything Avner had been taught over the years!

The doors opened to reveal Lucien and the masters from Taris. So it was this group that the masters had gathered to fully tell off. Where as Kavar, Vrook, and Atris had been all who were needed to yell at Avner for a bit.

"Well we meet again," Lucien said in way of greeting to Avner.

Right then Avner didn't want to speak with Lucien or deal with this man. There were other matters to see to. Lucien placed his hand on Avner's shoulder to force him to stop. This man's arrogance really knew no bounds.

"I'm sorry we were unable to oblige you on Taris, but I trust you found your investigations enlightening."

Avner didn't turn to the man. There was no point, the Order's thoughts of Avner were beginning to be placed into stone. "You see that I was right, now, don't you? The truth is written in blood!" Avner meant the words to be on the warning he'd given Lucien while back on Taris.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I know which truth you mean." Avner sensed Lucien tilt his head to one side.

Arrogance! Avner jerked his shoulder from the man's hold and started back down the hall. "Good-bye, Lucien Draay." There was no point to the Order, to the masters, to all of it! They were all blind to the truth. "I have _learners_ to save," the way Avner said "learners" wasn't meant to be taken as literal, it was filled with sarcasms. "The High Council will see you now." With those words he left the group to their own fate, a fate they'd wrought on themselves because they were too scared and too blinded by that fear to see they were wrong. The Sith weren't the threat and all of what that group had wrought could've been avoided if they'd only listened!

Avner continued through the temple at a quick pace. The others would've landed by now and he needed to meet with them before the council took back letting Avner leave here. _He _wouldn't be back. No matter what was placed before them, they would never believe the mandalorians were a threat worth Jedi attention. Hell all of Coruscant could be attacked and they still wouldn't act.

Now, Avner hoped to gain Republic attention, to gather Jedi who believed as he did and have the Republic back them completely. But to do so would require them learning more on this war and seeing how much damage the Republic had already taken even if they didn't know it yet.

"By how fast you're walking, I'd take it the meeting with the High Council didn't go your way," a light voice drew Avner to a stop.

He turned to see a man around his height striding towards him. The man's black hair was streaked with gray. One of eyes had been replaced with a mechanical one and a lot of his face looked as if it had been reconstructed.

"_Master_ Marcus," Avner greeted the man and bowed to him. "My congratulations on your passing your trials for a second time, you'll be a fine master." And the words were true. From what Avner knew of the man, he was loyal to the High Council and the ways they ran the Order. Like many his age he'd lived through the last war, but had been a youngling through most of it and a padawan near the end of it.

"Thank you, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about," the man stated with a small smile. "Come, walk with me."

Avner hesitated before he fell into step with the man. He didn't speak despite the fact he needed to return to the others. There was still time. So instead he waited for Marcus to speak first.

"I get you're wanting to save the people of the Republic," Marcus started, "it takes a lot to not just run off and try to help as many as possible."

Avner frowned. Something was up. "So why don't you?"

"Because the council knows best," Marcus told him. "Avner, you're young and getting caught up in the heat of the early moments of war. The Republic is stronger than you think it is. If it becomes necessary, the council will have us act. Until then it's important the Order remains united."

The words made Avner close his eyes and take a deep breath. "I mean no offense by this, Master Marcus, but you're wrong. What the Order seems to forget is that the Republic was hit harder than the Jedi were during the last war. Jedi are necessary to the Republic and the Republic is to the Jedi. Both rely on the other too much for the other to simply ignore while the other suffers. Take the Republic away from the Order and we become nothing more than a small group trying to keep the peace with nothing to back us. Take the Jedi away from the Republic and they are without their peace keepers, those who are sworn to protect them no matter the cost."

Marcus laughed a little at this. "You have a rather romantic view of the relationship between the Jedi and the Republic."

"No, not romantic," Avner stopped and held up his hand. "In the terms described, yes I can see how it sounds that way. But at the core of both the Republic and Jedi, we're needed and so are they. Too many centuries have passed with the Order and Republic working hand in hand for one to fully exist without the other. Romantic or practical, it doesn't matter. All that matters is the facts and the truth." Avner turned from the older man. "You can wait all you want, Master, but I won't – I _can't_ just stand by and listen or watch as the people of the Republic die."

"Don't do this, Avner, don't throw away you're future over this matter. The Order will act when the Council sees it's time for us to."

"How many will die while the Council watches and waits?" Avner took a deep breath and bowed his head. "There is still more to learn by watching, but perhaps there is more to learn by actively looking. The difference between my actions and the council's is that I'm willing to look for the truth while they simply watch what's happening on a larger scale."

"Avner," Marcus started again. Avner felt the weight of the man's hand on his shoulder.

Avner shook off the man's hand. "I appreciate this talk, Master Marcus. But the path I must take is clear, even if the council disagrees with it." Avner left the master standing in the hall.

In the end, Avner's own fate no longer mattered. If the council refused to uphold the peace they had sworn to and help the people of the Republic, then Avner would. The problem was that Avner still wanted to be apart of the Order. Then there was a part of him that almost frightened him. The part of him that wanted to leave the Order behind, to move on and act as was needed for the Republic and not to the wishes of the Jedi Council.

It was this inner conflict that made Avner wish to speak with Master Kae. She was really the only who might be able to help find someway to keep his beliefs and not leave the Order in doing so. The how was escaping Avner entirely, especially with the way the Council had acted in today's meeting with them.


	18. Chapter 16

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 16<p>

As Avner had expected the others were waiting on the docking platform when he arrived. He walked towards them, unnoticed at first until Darious looked up from what he was doing.

"Master!" one of Avner's oldest friends raced over to him. "By the force, it's good to see you again. How did the council meeting go?" Darious asked, skipping straight to the point.

"Later," Avner assured him. "Where's Master Kae?" he asked.

"She's one of the few still inside the shuttle," Darious told him, "I think she's meditating."

"Thanks." Avner moved passed his friend and headed straight for the shuttle. He didn't stop to speak with any of the others as he strode passed, what he had to ask her was the priority at this moment.

When Avner entered the shuttle, he saw Master Kae was the only one still inside. He moved over to her and sat down on the floor before her. She didn't open her eyes or register that Avner was even there for several long moments.

"You have a question?" she broke the silence between them as she opened her eyes.

"Many of them," Avner replied and let out a long breath. "I admit after today I am lost, Master Kae. The Order teaches all younglings that we are the peace keepers of the galaxy. That it is our duty as Jedi to stand up for those who can't and to act when no other would."

"You still believe this?" she asked.

"I still believe that it is the right way, but I don't believe that the Jedi Order will do anything now," he confessed. "The masters want to wait, to sit back and watch as the galaxy starts to burn around them. Even if Coruscant ends up attacked by Mandalore tomorrow, I doubt they would do anything in the war the day following."

Arren remained silent, her blind eyes seemed to be locked onto Avner. He was grateful for her silence. Right then he just wanted to confess all that had been nagging at him for the past several years.

"The Mandalorians have a base on Dxun. I showed the council my findings and told them that the clans are recruiting. They dismissed this as nothing more than 'disturbing news' and were more interested in telling me off for going to Onderon alone rather than the issue that is far more pressing and far more important. Worse they now want our group to disband, to stop giving what little aid to the Republic we have been giving."

Avner let out a long breath and bowed his head. "For the first time since joining the Order, since I was taken off the streets of Telos, I doubt the masters and what they are doing. It isn't the Jedi way to watch as those around you suffer. And I can't stand that.

"But then I look at what will happen with the Order if I force the issue. If I continue on like this and continue trying to get Jedi involvement in the war. It will cause another split to occur in the Order and the masters might then just assume all of us are Sith."

"Could you live with yourself if you did nothing?" Master Kae asked. "If you did as the council ordered now and returned after helping the others?"

Avner frowned and placed his hand on his chin as he thought on this. If he did return after helping get Alek and the others out, it would save the Order from going through another schism. It would keep those who were with Avner from falling to speculations of the Council that all of them were on the verge of falling to the dark side.

Then Avner thought about Suurja and all those he'd meet on Tarnith. Even if those around him wouldn't continue without the council's permission, Avner would. He'd promised them he would convince the Republic of the war, but it now went further than that.

"No, I couldn't," he confessed. Even as he said this his heart sank a little. This left him but one option and he didn't much like it either.

"Now the question is: what are you going to do?"

Avner frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You've learned all you can from the Jedi and now they're more likely to go against the beliefs they once preached. So, what are you going to do about it?"

The masters were going against everything they had taught Avner as a child. Everything he had ever believed in. All of the teachings were still there, but the very masters who had taught him this, to protect the people and the innocent weren't going to do so. What was left in the Order if he'd learned what he could and now the masters were going to destroy the very foundations and beliefs that had built them? Nothing. Nothing was left. That was all Avner could think of. But did he have the strength in him to leave the Order? If he left the Order and no one was with him, then what would happen? Sooner or later the masters would realize Avner had left the Order and would hunt him down as a Sith or a Jedi on the verge of falling to the dark side. He doubted they would be able to tell the difference anymore. Especially given what had happened with Lucien's group.

"Master Kae," he started and looked her in the eye, "what is the best way to leave the Jedi Order?" A part of him cried at this question. But deep down he knew to help the Republic there would be no going back to the Jedi. In order for the people of the Republic to not be slaughtered, he would need to act with those who believed as he did: that Jedi aid was needed against the mandalorian threat.

A small smile appeared on Arren's face. "Continue on as you have been. But don't seek the answers you are for the sake of convincing the Council. Seek them for the Republic and when the time is right lead us into battle against the mandalorians."

Avner bowed his head to her. "My thanks, Master Kae."

"No," she started, "from this day forward, it is not I who is the master, but you." She bowed to him. "I've taught as much all I can. Lead us well."

Avner wasn't so certain about what she just said. It was odd to think of her as someone under his command or something like that. While he and Arren had their differences there had always been a part of him which saw her as his master. Another part of him saw her as more an annoyance.

His thought was interrupted as a familiar presence approached a nearby landing pad. Avner stood. "Alek's back," he grinned, his heart lifting a little with the relief he felt.

Avner stood before he left the ship. He was quite ready to go towards where he sensed Alek to be when he saw Darious walking over to him. Avner frowned and stopped.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"There are several here who want to join up with us," Darious explained. "I told them to wait on your decision."

"I don't see a problem with more wanting to come."

"But the Order just sent a message that once we have Alek and those taken back, we are to return to them. It's over, Avner."

"It's far from over," Avner countered. "We're still going to search for the truth, Darious. I'll speak to everyone once we've met up with Alek and the others."

"Met up with?" Both of Darious' eyebrows rose.

"Spread out your awareness. What do you sense?" It was hard for Avner not to exclaim that Alek was all right and now on the planet, nearby. He wanted to rush to his oldest friend's side. He wanted nothing more than to make certain Alek and those who had been with him were all right. But right then, he couldn't. There was a matter of the new group wanting to join them. He would have to see to that first.

"By the force!" Darious exclaimed, eyes widening. "He's here! He's back!"

Avner smiled. It was a smile really only those closest to him could see thanks to the shadows cast by his hood. "He is at that," Avner said in light tones. Happiness was feeling him. For the first time since this whole mess had started, he felt almost at peace. "I'll speak with the recruits, then we'll go join Alek and the others." Avner moved away from Darious. Perhaps matters were now looking up.

x – x – x

Alek sat on the shuttle further from the others than he normally did. The force had been keeping back most of the pain, but he could still feel a fire in veins that had everything to do with what the monster had done to them. Poison still lingered in him and the wounds caused by Demagol still bleed.

"We're on final approach to Coruscant," a voice came the comm. "Squint, can you come up here."

Alek took a deep breath before he forced himself to stand. The force helped rejuvenate some of his strength. This allowed him to remain standing tall as he strode through the halls of the shuttle, up into the cockpit. What greeted him were the pilots and the voice over the control.

"There's a prisoner from the rim aboard your vessel?" asked the voice over the comm. from the planet below.

"Yes," Alek replied in place of the pilot.

"Who are you?" demanded the voice.

"This is Squint," the pilot told the person.

"Ah, so you're the one who is in charge of this small group from flashpoint station?" asked the voice.

"Yes," Alek confirmed. "We've captured Mandalore's lead scientist and would like to hand him over to the Republic."

There was a pause before the voice replied, "The military will meet you at the landing pad." With that the transmission ended.

"Take us in," Alek told the pilot.

"Gladly," the pilot replied with a large smile.

Alek didn't blame him. He, for one, was happy to just be back in Republic controlled space. It was nice to know that tomorrow he wouldn't be woken by Demagol wanting to experiment on him or that the others wouldn't be the next to go in after him. In the end, it was just nice to be back.

The shuttle came in for a smooth landing. Alek turned and left the cockpit. "How's the prisoner?" he asked the two Jedi supporting Demagol between them.

"Still out cold," the one closest to Alek replied.

"All right, we're going to be handing him over to the authorities. They can decide what to do with him." Alek led the way off the ship with a few of the others who didn't need medical attention and who could still stand.

The military looked from Alek to the others in the group. "You lot look as if you could do with some medical attention," he stated as he gestured for the group behind him to take Demagol. He gave them a weak smile. "I'll see if I can get several doctors to come up here and see to those who can't be moved, Master Jedi."

"Thank you," Alek said with the slightest bow of his head. "If I may ask: but do you happen to know the location of the Jedi Crusader and his group?" Alek needed to rejoin Avner even if the others didn't want anything more to do with this war.

"Last the news reported was that he and the rest of the group had returned to Coruscant. There's a rumor going around that your High Council has ordered them to disband."

Alek didn't much like the sound of that. Right when the real war started up, the council ordered for them to leave the people alone to fight it. Then there was a large part of Alek that wanted to fight every last one of those monsters. Demagol had only been a taste of what they were capable of. Mandalore would have to be ten times worse than Demagol was. What else were they capable of? If this was just the tip of it, then more had happened in the past.

"Thank you for the information," Alek turned to the others. "We're going to find Master's location here and rejoin him and the others."

Several exchanged looks. Alek could tell some of them didn't want to follow Avner anymore. Their trust in Avner had been shaken thanks to this. But it wasn't Avner's fault they'd ended up captured.

Before Alek could speak, he sensed a transport dock with the landing pad. He turned to see the military group had stopped walking. As he followed their gaze, a small smile appeared on his face at the sight of Avner and several others disembarking from the old shuttle.

The ever hooded figure of Avner paused by the military group and exchanged a few words before he continued over to Alek. "I've already arranged for a medical transport," Avner said in way of greeting to Alek. "Until then Darious and Master Kae can see to those the worst off." The words weren't just meant for Alek, but for everyone there. Something had changed in Avner's tone though. His voice was stronger and he'd just walked in and taken command of the situation without hesitation or pause.

There was a short silence. Alek was about to speak when one of the group from the station stepped forward. "Master, there are those of us who wish to return to the Order instead."

Avner didn't reply at first. "I can understand," he stated, "but before you do there are several matters to get out of the way." Avner turned to Alek. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece, old friend."

"As am I," Alek clasped Avner's shoulder.

"If you're willing I would like to hear what happened and how all of you managed to escape."

So those who were out of the shuttle told Avner and the others all that had happened. Alek even told Avner how they'd ended up captured in the first place. The ships that all of the groups had seen right before they'd been ambushed and more.

By the end of it, Avner's hand was resting on his chin. It told Alek that his friend was thinking all of this over, cataloging the new information.

"You're vision was right about the ships," Alek repeated, "but there were far more there than any of us could've imagined."

At last Avner spoke, "So what I discovered on Dxun and what you saw on Suurja confirms that Mandalore has more forces now than the Republic does."

"So there were forces on Dxun?" Alek asked.

"Yes," Avner confirmed. "And they were recruiting. From what I gathered, all groups across the galaxy have been ordered to recruit new members into the clans. There is no telling how strong or how many warriors Mandalore now has. But given the number of ships you saw…" Avner trailed off, his tone thoughtful.

Avner turned to the group surrounding him and Alek. "Listen," his voice rose and easily carried to those at the back of the group, "the Jedi Council has ordered me to return with everyone here," he started.

A shiver raced through Alek. Was Avner going to return? After all the mandalorians had done, Alek didn't want to stop the push now. They needed to be stopped so that others wouldn't fall victim to the mandalorians.

"I won't stop those of you who wish to return to the Order." He turned so that he looked at all of those around him at once. "I'm not going to give up. The answers are out there and if we can find them then the Jedi will enter this war one way or the other. The Republic won't stand alone!"

Alek frowned. He wasn't unhappy with what Avner was saying, it was just the renewal of determination in his friend. Something had changed in the time Alek and Avner had been apart.

"I'll stand with you, always." Alek stepped forward so he stood beside Avner. If Avner looked at him, Alek wasn't certain.

Several others moved to stand beside Avner including many who had been with Alek at Flashpoint Station. Ferroh's eyes glittered as he stood near Alek and Avner. There were very few who didn't seem to want to follow. After several moments they too seemed to decide better of it and stepped forward to stand with the group. Most of them Alek didn't recognize which meant they had just joined the group.

"Where are we going next?" someone asked from the group.

Avner turned to them. "We're going to find the real length of this war. To see how long the mandalorians have been attacking the Republic. While Vanquo has fallen and the Republic has been dragged to war. It isn't considered a full scale one until Taris falls. Vanquo is the last world on the line to Taris."

"What happens when Taris is attacked?" another Jedi asked from the crowd.

Avner bowed his head. "Depending on the Republic's and the Council's responses we will see." Avner turned to Ferroh as he asked, "Ferroh, when was the last time you heard anything from Cathar?"

"Not in some years," the cathar Jedi confessed, "but there have been rumors something happened there. I've not heard anyone speaking of contact from Cathar." He nodded a little at this.

"Then we set course at once before the Council can stop us!" Avner's voice rose again. "The healers of group travel with those who just returned from Flashpoint. The rest of you with me."

Before Avner could move off, Alek placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I should be with you," he whispered

"You need medical treatment," Avner whispered back. "Go with Arren and Darious." He nodded to the transport Alek had taken here. "The rest of us will travel in the old transport. Cathar is still in the Republic, nothing's going to happen." With those words Avner moved to the other transport and entered it before Alek could say another word.


	19. Chapter 17

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 17<p>

Alek waited until the group stopped to refuel on another planet before he switched to Avner's shuttle. No one on the shuttle complained about it and it allowed for the healers to really focus on those in the group who needed the attention. Alek felt much better after Darious had healed him and seen to most of the wounds. Now Alek needed to speak with Avner, alone if he could manage it. The problem with this was the fact the group kept growing. Both of the shuttles were now full and that was saying something.

A few hours after take off Alek moved to the cockpit. "I'll switch with you," he told the co-pilot.

The Jedi hesitated with a glance at Avner who was currently piloting. "Go ahead," Avner told the Jedi.

He nodded and stood. "All right, thanks, Master," he said with a short bow to Avner before moving into the main part of the shuttle. The door closed behind him.

Alek took the seat.

"You should've stayed with the healers, Alek," Avner started.

"I needed to know something." Alek took a deep breath. "What happened? Before you headed for Dxun you weren't certain you were going to go all the way, but what you said back on Coruscant, it sounded like you have a plan now to enter the war without the council's backing."

"I do," Avner confessed, but he didn't elaborate on this.

"What about the council?" Alek pressed. A part of him needed to know what had happened to change Avner's mind. Another part of him didn't want to know because it meant they might end up defying the council completely. Then there was a part of him, a small part that he wished to burry away, that longed to enter the fighting there and then.

Avner let out a long, low breath. "I don't know. The Republic wouldn't let us lend official aid without the Council's approval. Then there is the fact that the chances of the masters actually approving Jedi aid in the war is less than one percent at this point."

"But with Taris now under siege," Alek started but stopped and frowned.

"If they'd wanted our aid, the Republic would've asked the Council for it by now. If the Council thought Jedi were needed then we wouldn't be going behind their backs to head for Cathar."

Avner's grip on the control's tightened and Alek could sense his friend's doubts. "It would take something far worse than the mandalorian base on Dxun to sway them to enter the war. Perhaps Cathar holds the answer. Perhaps it only holds our down fall."

"But if the answers there aren't enough?" Alek asked.

"Then I do have a plan for the group to enter the war," Avner stated. "The Mercy Corps."

"The what?" Alek had a vague memory of hearing about this group, but he couldn't recall where or anything about them.

"It doesn't matter just yet." There was a short pause before Avner continued to speak, "Have you felt that the council seems to be more interested in protecting the Republic against a threat that is currently nonexistent?"

At this Alek laughed. "Since this all began," he stated in reply. "It's one of the reasons I know Zanye's innocent, other than the fact he helped us off of Flashpoint."

"But it's more than that," Avner was speaking in hushed tones as if he thought the others would be able to hear him. "It's more than just the idea of the Sith returning. They fear losing what little they've regained in a war against the mandalorians. Thus they shy away from the possibility that Mandalore has more than enough forces to stop the Republic."

Alek frowned. "It does seem like the Republic's been on a losing streak as of late," he admitted.

"More will be lost soon enough. Taris is only the start of it. The war is going to spread and as it does more are going to die. I'm not even certain our group will be able to do much to help even if the plan works."

"Avner, you're plans _always_ work."

"It's not that I'm worried about," Avner continued.

In all the years Alek had known Avner, he'd rarely seen his friend doubting anything. The Order had been a large part of what Avner had never doubted. Over the past two years both of them had started to see that the Council was blind to the truth. It was becoming more apparent by the day. But what was it that Avner had seen in them now? Alek knew the masters feared the return of the Sith, but he'd never thought that it could be as bad as what Lucien's group feared.

"Even if we do enter this war without the council's full backing, it still means we won't be able to do much. The Republic will never like having renegade Jedi as those who aid them. Then there are the repercussions of those who actually follow us into the war. Everyone could end up being banished or facing other repercussions. I don't mind being banished, but that is my personal choice. What of all of the others here?"

"I would follow you no matter the risk," Alek told his oldest friend. "The Republic still needs the Jedi no matter what they think or the council says."

"I know and thank you, Alek."

The conversation was cut off as the shuttle exited hyperspace moments before the other one did. The sight that greeted Alek was of the lush planet Cathar. But, even from space, he could feel something off, almost wrong about the planet. Normally there would've been high traffic to and from the planet. There wasn't a sign of another ship in the area.

"I guess the rumors are true," Alek said as he stared at the planet. He didn't turn to Avner as he asked, "Even if something remained down there, wouldn't looters have gotten it by now?"

"Depends on what it is," Avner replied. His attention was on the controls. "Head for the planet," Avner instructed the other ship, "we'll talk more once planet side."

x – x – x

Avner exited the shuttle and looked around at the city they'd landed in. No one had contacted them as they'd approached the planet and thus the group had to land in one of the landing zones without permission. Though, Avner hadn't expected anyone to be here outside of looters. The planet seemed to stir around him with some secret that was just waiting to be uncovered.

The others were gathering around as Avner looked at the city. He turned to them. "We're going to search the planet city-by-city. We need to see if anyone's left and discover what happened here." His voice easily carried to those at the back of their group. "Split up into groups and keep on alert."

Avner moved off with a small group into one of the buildings. There wasn't much left here, well much that was of value. All of the consoles were still intact which was a good thing considering what they were looking for.

"I hope looters haven't taken everything we need," Alek muttered before he moved off to search another part of the building.

Soon Avner was alone in the building. His hood was down as he shifted through the information on the console before him. Most of the information there had nothing to do with what Avner and the others were looking for. Most of it was related to crime or food and other such day-to-day reports. Then one day about ten years ago, everything cut off. It was as if the people had just vanished into the air.

Whatever had happened wasn't recorded in this city's records. Avner wasn't really shocked about this. If the mandalorians had attacked it might have been too sudden for records like this to be updated with that.

"Master," Avner sensed Alek enter the room alone. His oldest friend glanced around the room before he continued, "The others have checked the city. There's no one else here and no signs of what happened to them."

"There's nothing in the records either," Avner confessed and closed his eyes. "I know something here is going to point to the mandalorians, I can feel it."

"But there's nothing left to see," Alek pointed out. "If the mandies were involved then they completely erased all evidence that they were here."

"Perhaps not all of it." Avner rested his hand on his chin. He stared unseeing at the console before him. "There might be more hidden from our gaze, buried deep below us," Avner whispered this more to himself than to Alek.

Then again he could be wrong about that as well. Perhaps whatever it was he felt they would find here wasn't meant to be found just yet. The force worked in mysterious ways. The clue they sought might come to them when they least expected it to. Avner shoved that thought away. Until proven otherwise he had to hold to the idea that what they were looking for could be found.

Avner turned to Alek as he pulled back up his hood. "There's nothing in this city," he said as he started passed Alek. "We'll regroup and speak to Ferroh to see which city might be the best to really search."

"Are we going to try all of them?" Alek asked.

"No." That was all Avner could say before he caught sight of the cathar Jedi working just outside of the building.

Ferroh stopped what he was doing when he saw Avner and Alek approaching. "Master." He bowed his head to Avner.

"I should've asked this before we landed, but what cities here were the most populated?" Avner asked instead of greeting Ferroh.

"We could try the capitol and the cities surrounding it," Ferroh replied with a small frown.

"We'll head to a few of the cities around the capitol first then," Avner stated. "Help gather the others so we can move out."

"Yes, Master." Ferroh straightened a little.

The cathar Jedi fell in behind Avner as they moved away from the building. He would move off soon enough, but—

Sheer blinding agony shot through Avner. Screams of pain shouted out through the force and rang around him. Avner gasped, clutching his chest as the pain increased. It felt as if fire was licking at his flesh. The lives of millions of people shrieked in fear and agony as their lives were ripped away from them.

"Master—!"

"I feel it!" Avner gasped. "I feel it!" More cries started to blot out all else. Avner was shaking with the pain countless people were in. His vision showed him the world burning, people screaming around him as fire rained down from the sky.

Time held no meaning. It could've been seconds or hours all he knew was the pain began to ebb away. The fire that ripped at flesh vanished, leaving Avner feeling sick and weak.

He blinked. The dirt path below him swam before his eyes. He blinked again and again, trying to remain on his feet. A cold sweat trickled down his face. The world seemed almost surreal to him. He managed to straighten. Alek stood beside him, his skin pale. Avner turned his gaze to the others. Some had collapsed while others were shaking. All of them looked as he felt right then.

_There is no emotion; there is peace_. Avner started to repeat the code in his mind, trying to center and ground himself in it. He took a deep, trembling breath.

"What was that?" Alek voiced the question and made the others turn to them.

"War," the word came to Avner as he turned his gaze towards the sky. But it was so much more than war. Something had happened and he needed to know what it was. "Alek, Arren, Darious!" Avner called for the core group as he strode towards one of the shuttles.

The group entered the shuttle. Avner started to try and get a transmission to the Republic.

"What are you doing?" Darious asked as he sat down in one of the seats.

"Trying to find out what happened," Avner stated.

"We know what happened," Arren said in grim tones. "Countless lives screamed through the force before they died."

"That's not what I meant, Arren," Avner continued working on the transmission. There must have been hundreds of calls flooding the Republic right then. Most of them would've been from the Jedi spread out across the galaxy. That much death would've been felt by every Jedi, even the younglings would've felt the pain. The thought made Avner's stomach churn a little.

At last the transmission went through. "More Jedi?" the officer asked in way of greeting to them. "I suppose you lot are also calling in about the incident on Serroco."

"What happened?" Avner asked, keeping his voice even.

"From what was reported moments before all you Jedi started flooding the channels, Serroco was bombed by the Mandies."

"Bombed?" Darious straightened. "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know, Master Jedi. But the damage would've been extensive." There was a short pause. "Look, I've more calls to answer. If you want more call back much later." The transmission ended with that.

Silence fell over them. Avner stared straight ahead, gaze unfocused in his shock. He'd heard of Sith doing such things before during past wars, but he'd never thought that the mandalorians would do this! Why destroy the planet? Surely they would've wanted to get as much material out of it as they could, right? If not, then what had Mandalore been thinking.

In that moment, Avner realized just how little he really knew about the mandalorians and their culture. He didn't know their language or anything beyond the clan and nomadic ways of their people. He knew they were trained since they were children and that Mandalore led all of the clans. But he knew nothing more than this. That was common information most people had on them. What had just happened proved that Avner needed to know more about the mandalorians as a people, the way they thought. Why they did what they did. And their language.

The silence was broken by Alek collapsing into one of the seats. His head was in his hand as he stared at the floor. "An entire planet?" he whispered the question. The next words rose in volume, "Those _monsters_, how can they justify bombing and _entire_ planet?! To destroy all those lives just like that."

"I don't know," Avner started in hushed tones. His hand balled into a fist on the panel. "But I'm going to find out."

"Avner," Darious was on feet at once. "Find out? How? _Why_?"

"Think about it," – Avner straightened – "we know nothing about the mandalorians. They've spent _years_ preparing for this invasion. They know how the Republic thinks, what the admirals will do and how they'll react to each move."

All of them were looking at Avner now.

"Beyond what is common knowledge, we know nothing about the mandalorians. They even went as far as to take Jedi and experiment on them to test our limits and try to replicate our abilities. Why? Because of the last war. Because Jedi were in it and helped the Republic defeat the mandalorians and the Sith.

"We know nothing about them. Compared to what Mandalore has done, we're ignorant children grasping at invisible strings. In the months to come, the Republic will be hard pressed to gain a single victory. Why? Because they know _us_. And they're not scared to use what they know from the previous war against the Republic. Or what they've learned from countless soldiers and Jedi."

"Avner," Darious started to protest.

"He's right," Arreen cut off Darious. "Ignorance is going to be the down fall of the Republic and the Jedi alike."

Avner nodded to her. "I'm not asking for anyone else to try and learn more about them," he continued. "It's my choice to do so. The first step in defeating them will be a basic knowledge of how a mandalorian thinks. And I know that is dangerous in and of itself."

There was a pause. "Just be careful," Alek said at last. He looked Avner in the eye. "Mandalorians are nothing like us. Given what's happened today, I'd say they're closer to the Sith than anything else in the galaxy." Fire seemed to burn in Alek's blue eyes.

"I know," Avner confessed in hushed tones. "But I have to try."

Silence fell over the group once more. It was broken by Darious. "What are we going to do here now? Won't what happened at Serroco prove to the council that our aid is needed?"

It would help but still, given all the council had said to him before they'd left Coruscant, Avner doubted they would want to act. "No. I doubt they're going to change their minds even over this latest… _battle_," the word was forced out. To call it a real battle would've been a lie. "We'll inform the others what happened and continue our search here." He turned ready to go out to tell the others what had happened. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Avner," – it was Darious – "how are you going to learn about them? I doubt they'd just hand over the information."

"The language and culture should be in databanks. The way they think in battle will be recorded in the battles with the Republic," Avner stated.

"But some of that information isn't going to be handed over to you," Darious pointed out.

"I realize that."

"Avner," Darious protested again.

"I will do whatever is necessary to help protect the Republic and its people. That is what all Jedi are taught to do and believe from the time we're younglings to the day we join the force. And I will continue to hold to that belief even if the council forgets it. My own fate doesn't matter. Only the fate of the Republic does."

Darious didn't let go of his shoulder.

"I understand if after this you want to go back to the Order, Darious. I understand that what I am going to do is legal and don't expect everyone to agree with me."

"I'm not going back." Darious' hand slid from Avner's shoulder. "I'll stay and see this through to the bitter end."

Avner didn't turn to him. "You've my thanks, old friend." Avner left the shuttle to inform the others of what had happened on Serroco.


	20. Chapter 18

**A request:** If you read this and enjoy the story, please comment. I love hearing what people have to say about the story.

* * *

><p>Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars<br>Chapter 18

The soft sound of night came in to Avner through the open window. A small breath escaped him as he rubbed his eyes. The others were sleeping, spread out through this building. He could sense a few below, on guard just in case. But Avner was awake, alone in a small room with his hood down and data-pads spread out around him.

Not even three hours ago, he'd managed to grab a transmission the Republic had intercepted from Mandalore to another group. Where it was going and for whom it was meant, Avner didn't know. He'd spent the last few hours doing nothing but decoding the transmission. Thanks to now having a basic understanding of the mandalorian language, he'd been able to get enough information from it to know Mandalore had sent a group to Telos to bring him a woman who lived there… or to kill her. Avner wasn't too certain about the details of it.

He shook his head, jarring himself from sleep. While he did have a long day tomorrow, he needed to get as much of this done as he could before helping the others. Or going off to this meeting Arkoh Adasca had planned. The problem was, Avner needed to know why Mandalore wanted this woman. To do so would mean either he or Alek would have to Telos which would then place them in the same situation that had happened on Suurja.

With what had happened in the weeks following Taris, Avner was even more uneasy about splitting up the group again. Given Taris and Serroco was bad enough but before even Serroco had happened Onderon had been attacked by those Mandalorians stationed on Dxun no doubt. Around the same time or just a little after Jebble had also fallen to the Mandalorians. Everywhere Avner looked the Republic was fighting losing battles. Now Nouane was under attack, perhaps by now it would have fallen as well.

Mandalore had pushed his forces forward at an alarming rate. The Republic was scrambling to try and keep some territory. Soon enough there would be a push and pull battle. But from what Avner had seen and felt through the force and could predict through what he'd seen of the battles so far, the Republic had several chances to win at the battles to come. All of them hinged on the who was the commander on either side. Cassus Fett and Mandalore the Ultimate were the two largest threats to the Republic. From what Avner had seen Cassus was a cold and calculating commander who had no problems with brutality. Avner didn't know much else rather than the man was able to over take much of the Republic systems that he'd been at with moderate ease.

There were very few admirals in the Republic who could match either Mandalore or Cassus… he actually doubted anyone could match Cassus given the battles the man had led. Mandalore on the other hand, that was a different story. It bugged Avner to no end that this new Mandalore was so different from the ones he'd read of in the histories. The man was breaking many traditions of the Mandalorian people, but at the same time was able to inspire all under him to follow without question… well nearly without question. The charisma this showed though, was troubling. Very troubling because it meant that no matter the command given his people would remain loyal to him which would explain Serroco.

Avner sighed and rubbed his eyes again. He was thinking too much on this right now. It wasn't his place to figure out every little detail such as how to defeat them. He was just one man, one Jedi who was more likely to be stripped of his lightsaber and force ability than to actually be able to help the Republic at this point. This was likely especially given the fact that Alek has just returned from Dantooine just before nightfall, with the Jedi who either had wanted to join or those who had listened to Alek and come along with them.

A knock sounded on the door, drawing Avner from his thoughts. He sensed it was just Alek on the other side. "Enter," Avner called.

Alek slipped into the room and the door closed behind him. "Aren't we planning on leaving this city soon?" he asked as he cast an eye over the mess here.

"Yes," Avner stated, "I'll have it picked up before we leave." He straightened in his seat. "Why are you still up?" he asked.

"I kept thinking about what this Arkoh Adasca sent us," he confessed as he moved some of the data-pads from the other seat in the room. "It doesn't seem real that those slugs could even exist in the first place. I don't want you going there alone, Avner."

Avner frowned. "I agree that Arkoh and his discovery are troubling especially the visions some in the group have had, but we can't just ignore the fact that he invited us."

"Invited you, you mean?" Both of Alek's eyebrows rose at this.

"There's a problem with that." Avner held out the data-pad for his friend to look at.

"Mandalore's after some random woman?" he asked. "I don't get it, who is she and why would he want her?"

"I don't know. I managed to get some information on her, but not much." Avner folded his fingers together and looked across the dark room at Alek. "Sera is a farmer on Telos IV which in and of itself wouldn't make her target. It's her connection to the Jedi that might be why Mandalore wants her."

"How is she connected to the Jedi?"

"Master Vrook Lamar gave her an identity here in the Republic. I managed to trace her back twenty-nine years, but before that there is nothing on her whatsoever. It's as if she just appeared out of nowhere. Odder still was that it was Master Marcus who requested she get an identity made."

"How far did you hack to get this information?" Malak asked, looking rather worried.

Avner winced at this. "Too far," he muttered. "For one I had to hack into the naval systems to get that," – he gestured to the data-pad – "then into Republic records. I'll state now if I'm ever caught I'll be in major trouble from the Republic and even deeper trouble from the Order."

"Then I really hope you don't get caught." Alek turned his attention back to the data-pad and frowned. "Wait, this is supposed to happen around the time you're supposed to meet with Arkoh Adasca."

"I know," Avner sighed and shook his head. "There in lies the problem. I can't go help her and to the meeting. Alek, could you head to Telos and make certain that nothing happens to her?" he asked.

At this Alek let out a short snort of laughter. "That sounds like too much sneaking around for my liking. I don't like diplomacy much either, but if it's a choice I'd take Arkoh's meeting over going to Telos. Besides, isn't Telos you're homeworld?"

Avner looked away from Alek. "It's the world I was found on, yes," he confirmed. "But before the Jedi found me there was no record that I had even been born. Which most likely means I was born beyond Republic controlled space."

"Which just means you can connect with this woman," Alek said with a grin. "You both appeared out of thin air!"

Avner couldn't help it, he laughed. "I guess we did at that. At least it will make for an interesting conversation topic," he joked. "On a more serious matter, if you're going to be going to the meeting, you need to know we've nothing to batter with if that is what Arkoh is after."

"I know."

"And, Alek, I sense there is more behind that meeting than we know. We can't be the only ones he invited and neither can the Republic."

Alek frowned at this. "You really think that he would invite Mandalore? He lives in a Republic controlled system."

"Which is relatively close to the front, a front that is moving all too quickly. Arkoh has more in mind than I care to think on right now. Just be prepared for anything that happens."

"So the two of us are going to be gone this time around," Alek started. "I take it we're leaving Darious and Kreia in charge then?"

"And Arren you mean," Avner stated with a look at his friend. "You really shouldn't keep calling her Kreia, Alek, she's not as bad as it seems."

"Right," Alek laughed, "and I should just forget all the arguments you two used to have."

Avner smiled at this. "I suppose not and I guess she doesn't care what you call her as long as it's nothing too disrespectful."

"Like old hag?"

"Alek!" Avner gave him a stern look. "Master Kae has sided with us on the matter of the war. I appreciate the fact she agrees with us."

"Fine, fine, but it doesn't make her any less of an old hag." Alek stood and stretched. "You should leave as soon as possible. Knowing you, you'll want to scout out every possible angle the mandies can take in their attack of this woman."

Avner nodded. "That's not the reason I need to leave tonight," he started as he stood. "I should go before most of the others awaken. With how large the group is, some might want to come with me."

"I'd agree with them. You're a good fighter and all, Avner, but with how large the group's gotten you need to be more careful."

Avner held up his hand to stop Alek from continuing on like this. "I can't walk around Telos as the Revanchist Leader, Alek. I'd draw too much attention and we'd never gain the information this mandalorian will have. I'm going as a knight of the Order to draw less attention. I can pretend to be heading for the academy on Telos if need be."

A small scowl appeared on Alek's features. "You mean Atris' academy."

"Yeah, unless there's another temple I don't know about."

"Just don't be seen by her, Avner, you know she'll try to drag you back to the council for punishment in defying them."

"I know. And I've no actual intentions of heading for the temple." Avner started out of the room with Alek following him. In tones barely more than a whisper he said, "I'm going to tell them to have Ferroh act as an advisor."

It didn't take the two of them long to find Darious then Master Kae and tell them what was going on. Darious was the most outspoken against it all, not liking the idea of the group splitting up again. It was Arren who calmed him down enough to let Avner go. By that point it was nearly sunrise.

A shadow crossed Avner's vision. He stopped just outside of the shuttle and glanced around. The darkness of the hours before pre-dawn was impossible to see through. He couldn't sense any danger either. He shrugged and boarded the shuttle. It was probably just an animal.

Before too long the stars of hyperspace were surrounding Avner. It was going to a long trip to Telos, but at least he had –

"So you are stealing one of the shuttles. What are you some Order spy?"

Avner jumped as a low hum of a lightsaber filled the cockpit. He turned and was met by a silver blade pointed at his neck. His eyes traced the blade to a long hilt normally seen with double-bladed 'sabers. At last his eyes locked onto the young woman who held the 'saber.

"I'm not stealing anything nor am I a spy," Avner stated in calm tones as he looked in her light blue eyes. Her dirty-blond hair was messy and appeared almost brown. The fact he didn't recognize her meant she was new to the group.

"You were leaving Cathar at night and sneaking aboard this shuttle. That proves you're a spy!" her eyes flashed a little determination.

"What? That proves I'm going somewhere," Avner laughed, "and doesn't prove I'm a spy or not."

"So you are a spy!" Her eyes narrowed with mistrust.

"Why would a spy be heading for Telos?" he countered.

"There's a temple there," she pointed out.

Avner sighed, but didn't move much. The heat of her blade was a warning that it still hovered close to his neck, closer than comfort. "You know, I always imagined it would be a member of the High Council who held a blade to my neck. Not a young knight," he mused. "And that it would be on the day that they dragged me from 'my instance on war' and banished me to edges of known space." All the while he said this he kept his voice light as if he were joking even though he really wasn't.

A frown appeared on her face. "Who _are_ you?"

"Shouldn't you have asked that before drawing your lightsaber?" Avner asked with a small smile. "If you must know I am just a member of the Revanchists, nothing more or less. And I'm going to Telos because of a war related matter, it's what we do."

"How do I know that's the truth?"

Avner laughed again. He didn't know why but this entire situation felt ironic. "You're new to the group, am I right?"

"Yes," she admitted, "Alek just brought me and a few others in from Dantooine."

"Then there's your answer. Being new, you really shouldn't try jumping to conclusions so quickly. I am a Revanchist," as the group was now being called by the media, "and I am leaving so early so that the entire group doesn't leap on me for doing so, if you really must know."

"Why would they?" she demanded.

"That, young knight, is for you to figure out." Avner looked at the lightsaber. "Not that I mind having a lightsaber resting so close to my neck, but I'd rather not join the Force just yet."

She lowered the 'saber but didn't sheath it. "If I find you're lying," she started but let the threat hang. The blade went back into the 'saber with a soft sound. "So, why are we going to Telos?" She took the co-pilot's seat.

"We?" Both of Avner's eyebrows rose at this.

"I'm coming with you now unless you're planning on disobey the Revanchist and heading back to Cathar. I am right in assuming this mission was given to you by our leader, correct?"

Avner opened his mouth ready to tell the girl off.

"Correct. So I'm suck with you."

Again Avner was about to say something when the comm. went off. He let out a low breath. _There is no emotion; there is peace_, the opening phrase helped to calm him enough he could answer, "Yes?"

"There's a new recruit missing," Darious' voice came over the comm. "She's not with Alek, I just called him and he said he checked over the entire shuttle but she wasn't there."

"Does this recruit have light brown hair and blue eyes, is female and has a double-bladed lightsaber?" Avner asked, eying the girl out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes!" Darious exclaimed then stopped. "She's with you, isn't she?"

"Unfortunately."

"Are you going to head back?" Darious asked. "You did say that the more who came with you, the more likely it was you would attract attention."

Avner looked at the girl to see she was eyeing him closely now. Her eyes were sharp with suspicion. "I think one more won't hurt too much, Darious." He paused. "Keep comm. silence until further notice. Too much over them will alert the council that we've split up again." Or the Mandalorians. "Over and out." With that he cut the transmission.

"So you have the ear of one of the highest ranked in the group," the girl said at last. "I guess you're either a really good spy or as you said a member of the group."

Avner smiled at the girl. "I would never betray any of the Jedi on Cather or Alek," who wasn't on Cathar right then as it was. "What's your name?"

"You didn't give yours," she pointed out.

"True, but I don't mind being called 'hey, you.' I've a feeling you don't want to be call 'girl' or 'kid' or 'young Knight,'" he pointed out.

She frowned and glared at him. For several long moments she didn't speak until at last, "I'm Meetra Surik. And I'll just call you, geezer."

"Geezer! Hey, I'm not _that_ much older than you."

Meetra smirked a little at this. "Then, if you don't want to be called Geezer, what's your name?"

Avner sighed. "You are a present one, aren't you?" He shook his head. "Call me what you will. I don't mind it." _Much_, he added to himself. In all honesty he doubted he was more than ten years older than this girl.

The silence stretched between them. Avner focused mainly on looking out at hyperspace. If not for the girl he would've been sleeping right then. But that was sort of not an option given she might put her 'saber though his heart while he slept. Well, he was assuming this because of the way she'd greeted him.

"So," Meetra broke the silence after a time, "why did you join up with the Revanchist Leader?"

Avner looked at her with one eyebrow raise. The question stuck him in such away that he couldn't find away to answer her. No one had ever asked him that before. Granted everyone he'd spoken with in the group knew him as the leader with or without his hood up, granted most didn't see him without his hood up.

"Something wrong?" Meetra asked.

"Err, no – yes," he corrected himself. "No one has ever asked me that before. The question just seems a little odd to hear."

"Really, because I asked another Jedi that earlier and he gave a straight answer right away? I figured everyone had their reason for following the Revanchist."

"What's yours then?" Avner asked.

Meetra blinked. "Fine, I'll tell you, but then you'd better answer as well." She waited until Avner at least nodded before she began, "Master Kavar is really the reason I joined."

"You know he apposes the idea of this group, right?"

"I know," Meetra was looking at the controls before her, eyes a little closed. "But since I was a youngling, Master Kavar has been there. In some sense he's the one who found me when I was just a little girl and brought me to the Order. He even trained me for a time." Her eyes shown a little at the thought of this, pushing aside the sorrow she'd shown moments before. "I always assumed if it came down to war Kavar would be the one leading us into battle. He never hesitated, never."

"You almost sound like you revere him," Avner stated. How in Galactic Republic had this girl managed to be trained by Kavar? Avner had been trying for _years_ to get the master to train him in lightsaber forms and never came close to it.

"I don't," Meetra snapped. "He was just my mentor for many years. He used to tell me about the last war. I guess that and the fact he did help some in the earliest skirmishes and all of those people dying on the rim are the reasons I joined. I want to help save lives not watch as they're taken. Alek said we could make the difference even if the council doesn't want to act.

"If the Revanchist and his group manage to get into the war all the way, I want to be apart of it! Even if my being there doesn't make much of a difference, at least I tried to help all of those who are in need."

Avner looked away from her. He'd never thought on what was going through the younger members' minds. All this time he'd been focused completely on getting what was needed to enter the war even if he had to do it all alone. But Meetra was just as driven to fight in this war as he was.

"You're turn. Why did you join up with the Revanchist?"

For several long moments Avner hesitated before he confessed, "I didn't. It's rather hard to join up with yourself after all."

"Wait, what?"

Avner laughed at her reaction. It was understandable. "I can't really prove I'm him without Alek or someone else around, but I am the one who started the movement nearly three years ago… sort of." He paused. "Granted, it wasn't much of a movement until just under a year ago when more started to join us."

"So that's why," she started in an almost owed voice, "that's why you didn't give me your name."

"To state I really have a name would be a lie," Avner explained to her. "When I first joined the Order the masters did give me one, but it's never really been important to have a name for me. Besides as long as the message is clear and gets through I don't care what the media calls me."

"But why are you, the leader of the group, heading _alone_ to Telos?" she demanded. "Shouldn't you have sent someone? I mean you're the _leader_."

"I've never really seen myself as the leader or not. They follow me, yes, and they insist on calling me Master when I am a knight, but I still try to pull my own weight in the group. Heading to Telos is just another part of what should be done."

"Why?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Avner said with amusement.

Meetra flushed a little at this.

"If you must know, I managed to decode a transmission that Mandalore had sent to a small group near Telos. The odd thing about it was, the transmission seems to have been kept from the majority of the Mandalorian force. So I am going to see if I can figure out why Mandalore wants the woman mentioned in the transmission."

"O-oh," she blinked, seeming taken aback by this. "Do you know where she lives on Telos?"

"I've a general location and will confirm it on landing," he told her. "Or we will."

"Have you ever been to Telos before… Master?" she asked.

Avner closed his eyes. "You could say I have. It is the planet the Jedi found me on as a child."

x – Twenty-nine years ago – x

Avner, before he'd been known as such, crouched at the edge of the grimy street. He was small even for a two-year old. His plain, gray colored clothes were tattered. His small hand rested on the wall and he watched the shop across from him. The enticing scent of freshly made food wafted from the shop to him. His stomach churned with hunger.

He couldn't remember the last time he's stomach hadn't been churning with hunger. The last thing he remembered was running after someone, trying to get them before his memory blanked out. When he'd come too, he'd been all alone in the plains. It'd taken him a few hours to reach this city and to follow his nose to this shop.

He narrowed his eyes. All right, it was now or never. He darted out from his hiding place and raced towards the shop. He stopped just outside and peered in through the door. There were tall people inside, all of them stuffing their faces.

Avner licked his lips. It all smelled so yummy. He crawled into the space and moved until he was under where most of the droids were coming from. He reached for the first piece of food he saw. Before he could touch it, a shout rang through space in an odd language.

His hand was swatted away from the plate. Fear leapt through his heart. It pulsed through him as a big alien turned on him. Avner scampered under the alien's legs and bolted for the door.

Several people were on their feet now. Avner forced himself to go faster and faster until he was running like he'd never run before in all his short hours of memory. He burst out into the street, stumbled a little before he took off once more.

He was going so fast he didn't notice another boy until it was too late. Pain shot through Avner as he bulled headlong into the other child. The two of them hit the ground and rolled several feet.

"Justin!" a girl shouted.

Avner was torn from the boy by another person who was too small to be grown. He cried out struggling against their hold.

A girl raced over to the sandy haired boy Avner must have hit. "Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling next to him.

"Y-yeah," the boy was sitting up, his voice unsteady and hand on his head. "I'm fine." He blinked and looked at Avner. "Zeel, it's fine, let him go." The language was familiar to Avner but he didn't know from where. Somehow he could understand them where he hadn't the man in the shop.

The moment Zeel released Avner he made to bolt again. Justin caught him this time.

"Slow down. We're not going to hurt you."

Avner screamed as he struggled against this boy's hold.

"We can help you," Justin continued, "just calm down! You must be hungry."

Avner stopped struggling at once. Food?

"You are, right? If you calm down, we'll take you to our hide out. There's plenty to eat there."

"Food?" he looked over his shoulder at Justin, right into the boy's light brown eyes.

"Yep, food!" Justin grinned at him.

"Promise?" Avner blinked up at Justin.

"Yep, promise!" Justin's grin widened a little and eyes seemed to sparkle with kindness.

"Justin, we're on a run we need food too," another boy voiced. This one had small horns poking through tufts of black hair. He was obliviously not human but his skin was light tan and eyes a bright green.

"We'll head back and get another group to head out with you, Zeel. This boy needs our help."

The girl smiled kindly at Avner. "I can take him, Justin. You two can get the food."

"All right, thanks, Sasha." Justin released Avner. "Go with her, she'll get you something to eat."

Avner nodded and took Sasha's offered hand. She couldn't be more than twelve or so by her height. So much older than he was and so much taller too.

"How old are you?" she asked as they started to walk.

Avner looked at his fingers before he held up two to her.

"You're very fast for a being only two. Where are your parents? Close to here?" She looked around as if expecting for his parents to appear out of nowhere.

"P-parents?" The word felt unfamiliar on his dry tongue. "What that?"

Her eyes softened as she looked down at him. "So you're an orphan like us." She placed her hand on his head. "Don't worry, we'll figure something out for you."

She led him through the city until they reached a rather run down looking area. There was building here that had been closed down. It didn't look very good either.

"This is home," Sasha told him as she led him to the alleyway. "And this is how you get in. She moved into through a small entrance that looked big enough for an adult to squeeze through if they were very thin. Avner followed her in.

The area that greeted him was wide and open. There were clothes everywhere and kids ranging from just around Sasha's age to a little older than Avner was. But none looked his age at all.

"All those of six and over stay with us," Sasha told him as he followed her further into the space. "Those younger go to the orphanage where they can get a family. There are too many of us for all of us to go. Justin made this place for us," she explained. She turned to him. "We'll get you feed then take you to the orphanage."

"No!" Avner raced away from her and hid behind a small pile near the door. He'd just found these people, they were nice. He didn't want to leave, no not one bit.

"You're too young, you need a nice home," Sasha followed him.

Avner squeezed into a small space. "Am not," he protested, "can help!" He glared at her through the darkness of the small space.

"I'll talk to Justin about it," she said in a low voice. "If you can help us then you can stay."

"I can run," Avner told her as he moved out of the hiding place. Somehow he knew she meant what she said. "I can run really, really fast."

She giggled. "I know, I saw." Her smile returned. "All right, you can stay. What's your name?"

He blinked at her. "N-name?" like Justin or Sash? He assumed, but he couldn't remember ever having a name, _ever_. "No name," he whispered. "Mean I can't stay?" he asked as he looked up at her.

"No name?" Sasha stared at him with her mouth a little open. "Hmm, well then we'll have to find you one that fits."

"He runs fast and is small." Zeel had just squeezed in through the entrance holding food in his arms.

"I take it he's staying, Sasha?" Justin asked as he came in also holding food.

Avner stared at the food, he'd never seen so much in who memory of life!

"He wants to," Sasha told Justin.

Justin turned to Avner. "Hmm, then what do you think of Little Runner for his size and speed?"

Little Runner? He looked up Justin. "Little Runner, my name?" he asked with wide eyes.

"If you like it," Justin said with a smile.

"Yeah!" Little Runner exclaimed.

* * *

><p><strong>(Author's Note: <strong>This is the end of re-post. I hope you guys enjoy the story. More to come and I am sorry for not having a new chapter right away for you guys. One will be coming!**) **


	21. Chapter 19

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 19<p>

Avner glanced around the crowded area. People were hurrying too and from shuttles on business or to meet relatives. There were soldiers being greeted by family they'd left behind and people who were more interested in just getting to where they were going than anything else around them.

"How are we going to find anyone in all of this?" Meetra asked from beside Avner. "It feels almost as bad as Coruscant."

He chuckled a little at this. "I would take finding someone here over finding them on Coruscant any day." He started forward. The people jostled him and Meetra a little as they passed, but most were trying not to given the fact they were Jedi.

The capitol of Telos was massive in and of itself especially given that this world wasn't as populated as core worlds were. Even still, Avner felt more at peace in this city than he ever remembered feeling in any other. There was a peace that the Enclave on Dantooine had given, but this was deeper than even that.

He'd not been to Telos since he was five. The masters had moved him off-world given problems with Atris when they'd both been younglings. Most of his childhood had been spent on Dantooine until he'd been taken as Master Arren Kae's Padawan learner at the age of twelve. In all the years he'd traveled and served the Order he'd never even thought about returning to Telos. Now, here he was standing in his home city on a planet that he'd not thought on in years.

"Is it common for the streets to be this crowded here?" Meetra asked as the two of them walked side by side. "I thought you said the population was less than Coruscant."

Avner looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "It is, but you should know the capitol is going to be crowded no matter what planet you're on."

"Dantooine isn't," she pointed out.

This was true, but Dantooine also wasn't known for anything but its peaceful plains and farms. He resisted pointing that out to Meetra and instead smiled at her. "No matter how crowded it is, we're here to help someone and no other reason." He turned his attention back on the crowded streets. Though, he did admit the planet was more crowded than he remembered it being. But he'd not been in the capitol for twenty-seven years, a lot could change in that time.

The two of them started off through the streets. As they walked, Avner explained how they were going to track down this woman. The capitol had too many farms surrounding for them to just go from to the next trying to figure out which one was Sera's. Instead he was going to go to the records first and see if they could find anything there. As Jedi they had a high chance to be granted access to the records. As Jedi of the Revanchists that chance went down a great deal. That was why Avner told Meetra to keep quiet about it.

"The senator should be out any moment now."

Avner stopped at the sound of the excited voice. The senator? He knew that senators did tend to return home after a time on Coruscant in order to gain more public support, but he'd not thought about if the Telos senator might be here now. Depending on how popular he was it might explain how crowded the streets were right then.

"Master," Meetra paused and glanced back at him.

"That explains it," Avner muttered. He sighed and started forward once more.

"Explains what?" Meetra asked, frowning.

"The senator appears to be returning," Avner told her. "It seems he is quite popular for this many people to be out here to greet him." The last Avner had heard Senator Tarvon was the senator of Telos. He had to admit he had never looked more into the man other than he was human and had been in office for just over a year. It didn't look like the man would be voted out of office anytime soon either.

"Really?" Meetra glanced around as if she expected to see the senator there and then. "I've not looked into who was senator of Telos. Politics has never been my strong point," she confessed.

"Senator Tarvon," Avner stated, "that's his surname at least."

Meetra didn't reply this, she just nodded. Her gaze was back the way they'd come. Avner turned and followed her gaze as cheers erupted. The resulting noise reverberated through the air until it became near deafening to listen to.

Through a small gape in the crowd, Avner could just make out a security team escorting two humans through the crowd. The one closest to Avner was female and she wore fine clothing. He assumed this to either be one of the senator's advisors or his wife. From this distance Avner could only just make out her dark brown hair done in the latest fashions of Coruscant. Or what he had to assume was the latest fashion.

The man next to her appeared to be holding her hand. His clothing marked him as being Senator Tarvon. He had short, neat, sandy colored hair. The senator paused and turned to the crowd. He lifted his hand and beamed out across the scores of people.

As Avner looked the man in the eye, images flashed over Avner's vision. He saw mandalorians moving on the senator and his wife. Sera was there as well. The images faded. It had all happened so fast that Avner was still looking towards the senator and the senator in Avner's general direction.

Avner turned away from the senator. "Let's go," he spoke just over the noise of the crowd so Meetra could hear him.

The two of them slipped off through the crowd. As they moved away, Avner couldn't resist the urge to glance back at the senator. There was a part of him that swore the senator reminded him of Justin. Avner shoved this thought from his mind. No matter what had become of Justin in the last twenty-seven years it wasn't a matter Avner needed to concern himself with. Right then the priority had to be the war and discovering what Mandalore wanted with a farmer.

The Capitol Building was well guarded when Avner and Meetra arrived. This didn't surprise Avner seeing as the senator would most likely be making his way here now.

"Halt there," one of the security officers said to Avner and Meetra as they approached.

Avner stopped and he felt Meetra do the same.

"What business do you have here?" asked the officer. The officer was a twi'lek woman. Her head-tails or lekku came out from her helmet showing her skin was a dark blue.

"We're Jedi," Avner stated, "it is business related to the Order." It was a lie, but most of the time once someone realized they were Jedi it never went questioned to why they were there and what their business was. Perhaps it had to do with the superstitions most people had of Jedi and perhaps not.

The officer hesitated before she nodded and gestured to two of her fellow guards. "You two, escort the Jedi to the records."

"Yes, Commander Reca," they spoke in unison and saluted her. "This way," one of them gestured for Avner and Meetra to follow them.

"My thanks," Avner bowed his head to her before following after the other two security officers. He didn't look back at the commander despite he knew her name from somewhere. Avner pushed this aside. Like with the thoughts on Justin, he needed to focus on the reason he and Meetra were here and not on his past.

Most of the day was spent in the records. For the most part the security let them work, only coming in every couple of hours to check on them and see if they needed help with anything.

The records Avner and Meetra found on Sera showed little about the woman Avner didn't already know. There wasn't even a location of her farm in this. She had more than likely taken herself off the listings. Someone who liked to be alone from what Avner could tell about her from the lack of information.

"There's nothing here," Meetra sighed and collapsed in one of the few chairs in the room. "How long are we going to continue sifting through this information?"

A small breath escaped Avner and replaced the last file he'd taken. "I suppose there's nothing more we can learn from the records," he admitted.

"Great, can we get something to eat before we head off to whatever we're going to do next to find this Sera?" Meetra asked as she straightened.

"We have enough for a cheap diner if we want to be able to afford the fuel back to Cathar," he told her. "If we're here longer than today," – which they would be – "we're going to be eating military rations for the most part."

Meetra made a face but nodded her understanding. "All right." She stood. "Let's get something to eat today then."

Avner surpassed to the urge to laugh at this. "I think there might still a cheap diner near to here." He led the way out of records. The security didn't escort them out, for which Avner was grateful.

It was dark when they exited the building, showing just how late they had been working. Meetra sighed. "It looks like dinner then." She gave Avner a sideways smile.

Avner chuckled. "So it would appear."

He led the way through the streets towards the diner he had in mind. It had been one the old group had stolen from as children, well not really stolen from. The owner used to give them food. A lot of the old group had called him "Uncle" for this. But even with the food they had gotten from him it hadn't been enough, thus they had stolen the rest they needed from other places, but never from Uncle. That had been the standing rule of the group. Whoever just gave them the food and supplies they needed never got stolen from.

The diner was about a fifteen minute walk from the Capitol Building. Most people were heading for other restaurants up and down the street they were on but the diner was still there and still just as Avner remembered it being. They checked the prices before entering the diner just to make certain he and Meetra could afford the food with what little Avner had on him and whatever Meetra had. Both of them didn't have a lot of credits between them. It did turn out that if pressed they could get more food later with what Meetra had, but Avner told her to hold onto that just in case.

"Welcome," a droid greeted them as they entered. It paused before asking, "Jedi?"

"Yes," Avner replied.

It nodded and led the two of them to one of the booths in the small diner. As expected, fewer than half of the booths were occupied. They were given a booth two down from the door away from the others who were dining there. Before too long they ordered food from the droid and were served.

Only once they had their food did Meetra speak again, "What's the new plan since the records didn't turn anything up? Look around blindly for leads?"

"No," Avner stated. He was still uncertain if he had seen a vision when the senator had appeared or not. "If we start poking around blindly it will draw unwanted attention on us and the fact mandalorians are here."

"I've not seen any mandalorians around. At least not in that crowd when we arrived or on our way here."

"It's unlikely we'll see them until they're ready to strike the civilian," Avner stated. "They're most likely hiding among the population to draw less attention to themselves."

"Like us?"

"Not exactly but close enough."

The door into the diner opened. Avner looked up to see two twi'leks enter. They looked like identical twins. Both hade dark blue skin. If not for the different style in clothing they would have been mirror images of one another. One was dressed in the uniform of an off duty security officer while the other wore finer clothes, pointing to a more political field of work. Both were out of place here.

Avner was about to turn back to his food when movement from the kitchen caught his eye. An elderly man exited the kitchen and moved out from behind the counter. "Meca, Reca!" he greeted the twi'leks like they were his children, drawing them both into a tight hug. "It's been far too long."

"Hello, Uncle, it's good to see you," the one dressed in the finer clothes greeted the elderly human. She must have been Meca since Reca had been the name of the security officer who had spoken to Avner and Meetra earlier. Also the fact they had just called this human "uncle" as if it were his name…

Avner averted his gaze, returning to his food. It didn't matter. None of this had to do with why he and Meetra were here. The past was the past. Jedi were forbidden from seeing their family after joining the Order.

"Come, come, we should talk." Uncle ordered the droid to get the usual from the kitchen. The sound of them coming Avenr's way was all too apparent. It wasn't until he heard one of them stop that Avner looked away from his food.

The officer had stopped before their table. "Aren't you two the Jedi from earlier?" she asked.

"Aren't you the officer from earlier?" Avner retorted in light, joking tones.

"Master," Meetra hissed at him, looking shocked at his response.

"Apologies," he bowed his head to Reca. "Yes, we were at the Capitol Building recorders most of today. And I thank you for letting us in when the senator had only just returned to Telos."

Meca had and Uncle had also paused. "Reca," Meca called, "we really shouldn't bother other costumers.

"I sorry if that was rude of me, Master Jedi," Reca started, "I was just shocked to see Jedi dining here. It's not that well known of a place."

"It is, however, in the right price range for Jedi," Avner pointed out. "I hope you enjoy your meal, commander." He bowed his head to her before turning his attention back to Meetra and the rest of his dinner.

Reca moved after Uncle and Meca. "What did they want with the records?" Avner heard Meca ask as the three of them took the booth one down from Avner and Meetra. If the diner hadn't been this empty he wouldn't have been able to hear them at all.

"I don't know. They didn't say. From what some of the security, who were helping them, reported, they're looking for a civilian. But that was all they got out of it. The Jedi weren't really asking for a lot of help with the records."

"What do they want with a civilian?" Meca asked.

"Don't know."

"It's for the best," Uncle stated. "Jedi aren't the type to try and figure out. They're different from you, me, and everyone else in the galaxy."

"Little Runner became a Jedi," Meca pointed out. "I doubt he's changed from the person we knew."

"So," – Meetra drew Avner's attention away from those behind them – "I take it we're sleeping in the shuttle?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied before he finished up the last of the food. "And please, no trying to take off my head again," he teased her.

Meetra bristled before she laughed. "Don't worry, Master."

Avner paid the droid. "My complements to the chef," he bowed his head to the droid before he and Meetra left the diner.

x – Twenty-nine years ago – x

Little Runner curled up under his thin blanket, shivering. It had been weeks since he had joined the group. They were more like his family now than ever before. He'd seen what other families were like when out with Justin and Sasha.

"Little Runner."

He opened his eyes to Sasha kneeling over him. "Yeah?" he mumbled through his sleepiness.

"Justin and Zeel just returned from a run. We've two newcomers to the group."

Little Runner yawned and sat up. It took a moment for her words to sink in. "Newcomers? People staying in the family?" he asked.

"Yup," Sasha replied with a smile at his excitement.

The moment she confirmed this Little Runner bolted from his sleeping place and out into the main part of the rundown building which made up their home. He nearly crashed into one of the older kids.

"Watch it, Little," the kid snapped at him.

"Sorry," Little Runner mumbled before he weaved his way through the groups to where Justin stood with Zeel and two others Little Runner didn't recognize. They looked strange, not like Zeel's race of zabrak or the humans like Little Runner who made up most of the family. They had pretty, dark blue skin. And short head-tails. Both of them looked like the other. Their eyes were a beautiful shade of purple.

Little Runner stopped a little ways from them. He wasn't certain if he should greet them or not.

"Little, come here!" Zeel called him over.

Little Runner moved over to them. "Hi," he greeted the two girls with a smile.

A small laugh came from Justin. "This is Little Runner," he told the girls, "he might be small but he's the fastest one in our family. Little Runner, this is Meca and Reca, they're sisters."

"By blood?" Little Runner blinked and looked at them in awe. "It's nice to meet you," he remembered the words Sasha had taught him when meeting someone new. He bowed his head to them.

"Little Runner, why don't you show them around and help find blankets for them," Justin suggested.

"Right! This way." Little Runner raced forward and took one of their hands in each of his. Without waiting he pulled them after him.

The girls followed after him more because they didn't have a choice.

"Over here are free places and blankets," he told them when he released their hands.

"You seem really young to be here," stated one of the girls, her eyes locked on Little Runner.

Little Runner blinked up at her. "I'm not!" he defended himself. "I pull as much weight as anyone." He puffed out his chest and stood up as tall as he could but he still fell short of their heights. If only everyone here wasn't so much older than he was. Though, these two couldn't have been older than six.

The girl laughed. "You're funny."

Little Runner glared at her. "Am not!" he retorted. "I'm Little Runner!"

This only seemed to make her laugh harder. She collapsed on the ground, eyes watering.

"What?" Little Runner demanded, now very confused. Was it been something he said?

"Reca and I know your name's Little Runner," the other twin told him with a soft smile. "She was saying you act funny."

"O-oh," Little Runner felt as his entire face turned with his mistake. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Reca was still rolling on the ground. Her laughter was strained now but still coming.

Meca placed her hand on Little Runner's shoulder. Her smile reminded Little Runner of Sasha's. There was the same warmth in the way she smiled that was there with Sasha, but she was a lot younger than Sasha was.

"Little Runner!" Justin raced over to them just as Reca got back up, her laughing under control.

"I like you, Little!" She placed her hand on his head.

Justin laughed. "He's hard to dislike." He smiled at them. "Are you three up for a run?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Little Runner brightened at once. He loved going on runs though he'd only been on two since joining and both times he had been the look out since they thought he couldn't be quiet enough to enter the places without alerting someone.

"What's a run?" Meca asked.

"It's just what we call getting food," Justin told her. "Today we're not stealing though."

Little Runner was confused by this. Wasn't that the only way they could get food? "What you mean?" he asked, blinking up at Justin.

"There's a place where we can just ask for food," Justin explained. "And I think it's about time you met Uncle. You two as well," he told Meca and Reca. "Zeel will be coming as well. We'll need him to carry back the food."

That was a lot of people to take on a run. "So he just gives food?" Little Runner asked confused.

"Enough for a day or so," Justin replied. "Which is why we need so many to carry it back here."

"Can Little Runner carry enough?" Meca asked.

"I can!" Little Runner nodded, grinning.

"Now that we have that settled, let's head out." Justin headed towards the entrance. Little Runner raced after him. "Zeel!" Justin called to the other boy when they neared the entrance. "You ready to head out again?"

"You know it!" Zeel grinned. "Coming along, Little?"

"Yup!" Little beamed up at Zeel.

"Good, you'll get to meet Uncle then."

The five of them headed out one at a time through the entrance. Once Little Runner was out in the open he raced forward.

"Hold up, Little," Justin called to him. "You don't know where we're going."

Little Runner skidded to a stop. He fell in with the older kids, but a part of him was screaming to race around and look at all the new things around him. One of the twins stepped up next to him and took his hand in hers.

"We should stick together," it was Reca. Despite her brave words and determined expression Little Runner could feel her fear. She was nervous, afraid of the adults around them. But there was something more in her fear, something deep, dark, and hidden. Buried down to where only she knew it and hidden away.

"You don't need to fear," he piped up. "The adults ignore us." It was true none of the adults who they passed on the street so much as glanced down at them. The only times they went noticed was if they were caught when stealing on a run.

Reca looked down at Little Runner, her cheeks puffed out. "I'm not scared of anything!"

"Don't worry," – Little Runner put his finger over his lips – "I promise I won't tell."

"There's nothing to tell," Reca huffed then sighed. "Look, Little, let's just get the food, okay?"

"'Kay!" He nodded, but didn't release her hand. She was still afraid. He could hold her hand at the very least if it made her feel less afraid. He could feel the same fear in Meca and took the other twin's hand in his. "We're a family," he told them as they walked. "A family under Justin and Sasha."

This seemed to ease some of their fear. Little Runner smiled up at them. He was glad their fear had been lessened. That his words had helped.

Justin and Zeel led them further from home than ever before. They were near the very heart of the city when Justin stopped in an alleyway by a door. He knocked several times in what felt to a pattern: knock, pause, knock, knock, pause, knock, knock, knock, pause; knock.

Several moments passed before the door was opened by an adult. Little Runner felt as if he had to strain his neck back to see into the man's face. His brown hair was grizzled and spiked from a day's work. He was unshaven, but had kind, blue eyes and an even kinder smile as he noticed Justin.

"Justin!" the man greeted Justin in a warm voice. "I was wondering when you'd be by." His eyes traveled to Zeel. "Always good to see you again, Zeel."

"Hello, Uncle," Zeel said with a big smile.

"Uncle, we've several newcomers to the family we wanted you to meet," Justin told the man.

Meca let out a small nose. Without releasing Little Runner's hand she made to hide him which had to appear silly since she was so much bigger than he was.

Uncle frowned as he looked at Little Runner. "Justin, isn't this one a little young."

"Am not!" Little Runner glared up at Uncle not much liking the way the man frowned at him. "I'm Little Runner and I'm not young!"

Uncle smiled at him then. "I can see your point." He turned to the twins.

"This is Meca and Reca," Justin told him.

"A pleasure and I won't harm either of you." He looked at Justin. "Why don't all of you come in and help me get the bags ready."

"Thank you, Uncle." Justin bowed his head. Justin and Zeel followed followed Uncle into the building.

Little Runner pulled Reca and Meca towards the door. He nearly tripped when she didn't move. "He doesn't mean harm," Little Runner told her. "Come."

Reca and Meca both hesitated a moment longer before they followed him into the building. Little Runner stopped and stared at the room. It was packed with food! He knew not all of it was theirs' but there was just _so_ much of it.

"Little Runner and Reca can gather some of the food from over there," Uncle told them when they entered.

"Okay!" Little Runner released Meca's hand and moved to where Uncle had pointed. There was already an empty bag there and some food in boxes.

"Just take what the bag can hold from the boxes, you two," Uncle instructed.

That was a lot of food. Little Runner stared at it. The boxes even towered over them. There was way more than could ever fit into the bag.

"Come on, Reca!" Little Runner started to shift through the food and fill the bag.

The boxes over them swayed a little as Reca joined him. Little Runner looked up at them. The metal crates didn't seem to be stacked right. He frowned but decided it wasn't going to be any harm and continued to fill the bag.

Uncle walked over to them. "How's it going?" he asked as he knelt down to join them.

Reca hesitated before she bowed her head to him. "Almost done," she whispered.

Just then Little Runner felt more than saw the boxes sway again. He looked up just in time to see them start to come crashing down. Uncle was the first to react by moving to cover them but Little Runner was faster. The same energy he had felt only once before followed through him. He lifted his hands and released the energy. The boxes stopped just over Uncle's head.

Little Runner gasped at the unexpected pull the energy was taking to control and use. "M-move," he gasped to them. "It's heavy!"

Uncle didn't hesitate. He scooped up Reca and the bag and crawled out from under the small area Little Runner was holding up. Once they were clear, Little Runner backed up inch by inch. The moment he was clear he placed the boxes on the ground and collapsed, breathing hard.

"Little Runner!" Justin raced over him. "Are you all right?" The older boy knelt down before Little Runner.

"Sorry," Little Runner whispered.

"For what?"

"Does it mean I can't stay?" he whispered, not about to look at Justin. His eyes burned with the sorrow and fear of losing this family.

"What are you talking about, Little Runner?" Justin asked. He placed his hand on Little Runner's shoulder.

"It scared her, she called it evil. The power, it's evil, it'll cause problems. I can't stay?"

"Of course you can stay. With or without that power, you're still a member of our family, Little Runner."

"Besides," Uncle was now next to Little Runner as well, "Reca and I would both be injured if not for you." He ruffled Little Runner's hair. Little Runner felt warmth fill him at the action. "You're more that welcome here whenever you want, Little Runner. To help out or just be here. Some of your family comes down from time to time."

Little Runner brightened at once. "R-really, it okay?"

"It's more than okay." Uncle gave him a warm smile. "And whenever you come down I'll be certain to give you food to take back for the others."

"All right!" Little Runner felt warm inside. They didn't mind the power. Did that mean he could really be here? Be a part of their family for good?

"You come down with me tomorrow to help out," Justin told him.

"'Kay." Little Runner helped them gather the bags before he left with his family. He glanced back at Uncle and grinned.

x – Present Day – x

Avner stopped just outside the diner. "Head back to the shuttle. I need to take care of something before heading back."

Meetra hesitated before she nodded. "All right, Master." She left him standing near the diner.

There was no reason to leave this area. Instead Avner just waited near the diner. Most of the people who passed by didn't look towards him and those few who left the diner didn't notice he was standing near the entrance leaning against the wall.

Avner looked up at the night sky. The night was cool and pleasant. No stars could be seen in the city. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For the first time he knew he was home. In the same instant he knew he no longer belonged here. His place was with the rest of the Revanchists. That was why he wanted to speak with Uncle one last time. He knew this would be the last time he ever set foot on Telos. At least it felt as if it would be. If it wasn't, he was uncertain if he would ever get another chance to speak with Uncle again.

As the night wore on, Avner watched as people passed the diner. Most took no notice of it as they passed while others paused to debate to eat there or not. Very few did and continued on. Those few who did were the ones who didn't pause and debate about it. Most likely they knew how good the food was here.

By the time the twins exited the diner the street was almost empty. They had most likely spoke with Uncle long into the night for who he was to the family. He watched them vanish into the night.

Not long after the twins left the diner's lights were turned off. A few moments later Uncle exited the diner and locked the doors. The older man had a tired smile on his face as he turned to leave.

Avner took a deep breath before he straightened. "It's been a long time, Uncle."

The man jumped and wiped around. "You scared me half to death," he whispered. He frowned as the fear drained to be replaced by confusion. "Do you really think that's my name since Meca and Reca called me 'uncle?' Only they and a few others do, Master Jedi."

Avner laughed. "I did say 'it's been a long time,' didn't I?" He smiled at Uncle. "I believe the last time you saw me I was four and tripped into the wall."

Several long moments passed before Uncle's eyes grew wide. "It can't be," he breathed in shock. "Little Runner?"

"One in the same." Avner bowed at the waist to Uncle.

Before either could speak, Avner sensed someone racing towards them. The next moment Reca appeared. "I'm sorry, Uncle," – she stopped beside Uncle – "Meca forgot something in the diner."

Avner took a pace back. Perhaps it had been foolish of him to assume something like this wouldn't happen. He could sense Meca also running towards them. She appeared a moment later and stopped. Unlike her sister she was breathing hard.

It took her several long moments before she could speak, "I left a data-pad here. I'm deeply sorry, Uncle."

Avner stepped back again. His movement didn't go unnoticed this time. Reca pulled out her blaster and pointed it at him. Avner dodged the bolt which was fired.

"I wasn't aware Jedi were that unwelcome," he stated in light, joking tones. "If I offended you earlier, Commander, I apologize. But I didn't think that would warrant being shot at." All through this kept his voice in tones which implied he was joking.

Reca lowered her blaster. She scowled at him. "What do you want with Uncle and where's your padawan?"

"Padawan?" Avner was confused by this. "You mean Meetra?" He laughed at this. "Oh, force no, she's not my padawan. She calls me 'master' to avoid confusion in crowds if she called me 'hey, you' instead."

For a moment Reca just stared at him before she demanded, "Then why is she traveling with you?"

"The answer to that question is far more interesting that you may think," his voice was no longer joking, but serious. He bowed to them. "I was only telling your friend here his cooking was good. Good night, Commander, ma'am," he nodded to Reca then Meca before he started off towards the shuttle.

"Wait," Uncle called after him.

Avner paused and turned back to him. He didn't speak.

"Why reveal yourself now? Why not earlier?" Uncle asked.

Meca and Reca exchanged confused looks.

"Perhaps this time I wished to say the goodbye I couldn't before," Avner stated as he looked away from them and at the sky once more. "It might be childish, but you were the only one who I didn't say farewell to back then." Avner started off once more.

"It doesn't have to be a goodbye," Uncle stated, making Avner stop once more. "Whenever you're on Telos, you can eat here for free."

"What?" Reca growled at this. "He's not one of us, Uncle."

The words made Avner close his eyes as if they had been a physical blow. A reminder that he really wasn't one of the family anymore. He took a deep breath. "A kind offer, but I must decline."

This time he didn't move. His hand balled into a fist. He wanted to tell Reca she was wrong, but couldn't. The council had enough reasons to exile Avner as it was. No matter his personal choice to leave the Order, he couldn't risk them being dragged into the problems which surrounded him now.

_There is no emotion; there is peace_. He unclenched his fist. "The commander is right," he stated, "I've been on Telos in a long time and I doubt I'll return again once my mission here is complete." Still he didn't turn to them. "Goodbye." It took a lot to not say 'uncle.'

This time Uncle didn't call to him as Avner started off. No one did. Avner walked into the night back towards the shuttle.

* * *

><p><strong>(Author's Note: <strong>Young force sensitives can still use the force to varying degrees. Revan I have being able to use on this scale only when someone is in danger otherwise it's only smaller scale like increasing his speed (the last flashback) or sensing other people's feelings and emotions.**)**


	22. Chapter 20

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars  
>Chapter 20<p>

The shuttle was quiet when Avner returned. Meetra was curled up under her robes, fast asleep. He moved around her, careful to not wake her, and into the cockpit. The day had been long and he had made it longer by staying to say farewell to Uncle. When he had been four, Uncle was the only one he had been unable to say goodbye to and thus it had just seemed right to do so.

Avner pulled up his hood and leaned back in the pilot's seat. He had managed to sleep some on the way here after it had become clear Meetra wasn't going to do him harm. But he still felt the drain of having been awake so long without sleep.

He closed his eyes. No sooner than he had than images burst into life around. He was standing on the street before the Capitol Building, the darkness of night was illuminated by the lights around the building and those held by the group coming down from the building. One among them he knew to be the senator and another, further back was Sera. She didn't seem to be with the senator or his group just having been out late and in the Capitol Building.

Below several figures moved into view. It took Avner a moment to realize they were mandalorians. The only reason he could tell now was because a few of them were actually wearing the armor of neo-crusaders.

"Capture the woman, kill everyone else," one of the neo-crusader's ordered.

Avner snapped awake. It took a moment to realize he'd been asleep and a little longer to understand what he had just seen. The senator was also now at risk. Avner was on his feet at once. He returned to the main part of the shuttle and knelt down by Meetra.

"Meetra, wakeup." He touched her shoulder.

"Hmm, wha—?" She opened her eyes a slit and yawned. "Master?" she asked, sounding more than half asleep. "What's wrong?" she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"The senator is going to be attacked," he told her as he stood. "We need to get to the Capitol Building now."

"What?" She was fully awake in an instant. Meetra pulled back on her cloak as she stood. "How do you know he's going to be attacked?"

"A vision and," he paused, reaching out with the force, "a feeling."

She nodded, accepting his words without question. "I'm ready. Let's go!"

The two of them raced out of the shuttle. Avner didn't even care his hood was still up as they headed through the sleeping city towards the Capitol Building. Sure as his vision had shown the mandalorians were already surrounding the senator and his group.

"We want the farmer and you senator," growled lead the mandalorian. Her red armor gleamed in the light surrounding the building.

The force flowed through Avner as he raced towards them. It built until he leapt. The power behind his leap sent up high into the air. He flipped over the mandalorians, drawing his lightsaber and activating as he landed facing the mandalorians. Meetra landed beside him. She activated her double blades. The silver light mixed the purple of Avner's blade and the street lights.

"Revanchist," spat the leader. She drew her sword in her other hand but kept her blaster trained on the senator's group. "This isn't your fight, _Jetti_."

"What does Mandalore want with a farmer?" Avner asked in calm tones. He held his lightsaber underhanded, his muscles tense; ready for combat. He skimmed the group. They were outnumbered even with the aid of the few guards the senator had. Then Avner didn't know how well trained the senator's security force was.

"That's none of your concern, _Jetti_," she snarled at him. There was something familiar about her voice. It reminded Avner of the mandalorian commander who had captured him back on Tarnith. "Kill the Revanchist and his fellow _Jetti_. Without him his movement will fall apart. Then after the senator and the farmer!" She opened fire on Avner and Meetra.

Avner flicked his 'saber around him, deflecting her shots. Meetra charged forward. She moved with the ease and skill of countless years of practice. The force flowed strongly through her, strengthing her and allowing her to move with speeds and precision unmatched by all but her fellow guardians.

The commander charged Avner firing on him. Avner danced back, blocking and redirecting her shots away from the civilians behind him. She twisted her sword and slashed. Avner leapt over her and landed behind her, never once turning his back to her. This however left him open to the mandalorians. He was forced to dive in order to avoid being hit by their fire. As he straightened, his hood fell.

"Get the senator back into the Capitol Building!" Avner shouted at the security team as he blocked the commander's next attack.

The mandalorian commander pressed down on her sword. Sparks light the area around them. The force built in him. He shoved out his free hand. The raw energy caught her in the stomach. She was blasted away from Avner and skidded back several feet until she regained her balance.

Several other mandalorians took the chance to charge Avner. He leapt to meet their charge. Two of them went flying as the force slammed into them. Another fell to his lightsaber.

He flipped his lightsaber so he was no longer holding it underhanded. His blade sank into a mandalorian's armor and through their chest. When Avner next turned he was face to face with the mandalorian commander once more.

"It's you?" she breathed. "You're the Revanchist Leader? The meddlesome knight from Tarnith?"

"So, I was right. You are the commander from back then." Avner smiled at her. "My, the force does have a way of making things interesting. So Mandalore switched to assassination work?"

She snarled at him. "You're dead this time for certain, _Jetti_. I should have killed you when I had the chance on Tarnith! Die!" she leapt at him. In the same moment he sensed another mandalorian leaping at him from behind.

"Behind you!" the warning shout came from Uncle somewhere near the senator.

Avner was already moving. He leapt aside. The sword grazed his arm before he was in the clear. The two mandalorians collided and struck the ground hard.

They rolled apart and leapt back up before Avner had time to act on the fact they were dazed. He steadied himself, ready for the next wave attacks. The two of them charged Avner. He twisted down, sending a blast of the force towards them. They were thrown back. Avner leapt into the air and slashed through the closest mandalorian before landing and rolling several feet. Blaster fire followed at him.

He was forced to turn his attention on the rest of the forces. Avner lost count of how many he took down with both the force and his 'saber. The commander reappeared through the crowd. She lunged at Avner. He was faster and caught her with another wave of the force. She landed hard several feet way.

Meetra raced over to Avner and stood beside him as the Mandalorian Commander recovered. The commander glanced around her to see more than half of her forces had fallen.

"Retreat!" she shouted, growling the word as if it were something bitter logged in her throat. The mandalorians fell back vanishing into the night.

"Should we follow, Master?" Meetra asked.

"No." Avner sheathed his 'saber.

A small breath escaped Meetra as she did the same.

"Regretting stowing away now, young knight?" he asked in joking tones.

"You wish, Master!" she replied with a broad grin and shinning eyes. "This exactly what I signed up for!"

He chuckled before turning to see the senator and everyone else hadn't gone back inside. In fact the senator was walking over to Avner which was strange seeing as he had made it clear by arriving with his hood he was the Revanchist Leader.

"Meetra," – he turned back to her – "you may return to the shuttle."

"Thank you, Master." She bowed to him, an uneasy expression on her face as she glanced towards the senator. "Do you think they'll attack again?" she asked.

"Unlikely. Get some rest before tomorrow."

She nodded and moved off towards the shuttle. This left Avner alone with the senator and his people. This was the way he wanted it. He didn't want Meetra to be introduced to the backlash of the Revanchists just yet. She had such high hopes for their group and was a raw recruit. To learn not many viewed them in a good light could break her view of their group despite what they were trying to achieve. Avner looked Senator Tarvon in the eye. His eyes were a light brown and they stood about the same height as one another.

"That mandalorian called you the Revanchist Leader, is it true?"

Avner hesitated. "It's true enough," he replied, a part of him knew he would regret confessing this, but he couldn't lie to this man. "I apologize in advance if our being here causes an inconvenience, Senator Tarvon."

Before the senator could reply, Reca raced up to them and pointed her blaster at Avner. "Justin, you shouldn't trust the Jedi Crusader or anything he says," she growled. "He's been lying to us all day."

"Lying to you?" Both of Avner's eyebrows rose at this. "My dear Commander, if I had been aware the mandalorians intended to target the senator I would have told you. I didn't know they were going to until a few moments before Meetra and I arrived here tonight."

"Nonetheless," – another security officer had joined them – "we should have been informed the moment the Revanchists arrived here. How many are traveling with you?"

"Just Meetra," Avner told the zabrak officer in reply. "The others are in another system if that is what you're wondering."

"You came here with only one of your followers?" Reca demanded. "Why? For what reason?"

"The mandalorians targeting a civilian," he replied. He let out a long breath. "I'm still a Jedi no matter the differences the council and I have. It's merely my belief Jedi are needed in the war."

"That's not what—"

"Enough!" Uncle had come down to join them now as well. "Your family already owes this Jedi for more than just tonight."

"You owe me nothing," Avner said and held up his hands.

Senator Tarvon ignored Avner, his gaze now locked on Uncle. "Why do you say that, Uncle?"

At once Avner felt shock wash through him. He managed to keep his expression calm, but the realization began to sink in. Senator Tarvon was really the Justin from Avner's years on the streets. It was no wonder Reca and Meca both worked for him then. Also that would make the zabrak Zeel.

The senator's wife walked down to join them. "Because he's Little Runner," she spoke with a warm smile directed towards Avner.

"What?" Both Reca and Zeel exclaimed. "There's no way this Jedi is our Little Runner!" Reca finished.

Avner sighed. This hadn't turned out as he'd accepted it to. For one he had revealed the fact the Revanchists were here when he hadn't meant to and for another his family was also now aware he was here as well. But since Justin was the senator they had already been dragged into the war through the mandalorians. Now he could only hope the force would be with him in the fact the council would never learn he'd made contact with them.

"I would recognize him no matter the years that passed." She looked at Reca. "Look at him Reca."

It was hard not laugh at this. Avner doubted he looked anything like he had twenty-seven years ago. Other than the obvious fact he was now in his thirties, his hair was longer and he knew he hadn't shaven in the past day or so.

"I'm not seeing it."

"He's Little Runner," Uncle confirmed. "He spoke with me a few hours ago."

"In a farewell that seems to have backfired. I had hoped to pass through unnoticed."

"And charging in is unnoticed?" Zeel asked.

"As I said, 'had hoped.' I hadn't realized the mandalorians would attack outright like that." Though, now that he thought on it, their actions did make more sense than sneaking around. Mandalorians weren't really known for that method of thought.

"So you are Little Runner?" Justin asked.

"Hmm," Avner was pulled from his thought. "Yes," he replied, "though I would prefer not to be called by that name."

"What name then?" Justin's eyes narrowed as he looked at Avner.

Avner just smiled at the man. "Now there is the question." He turned from them. "We'll speak more in the morning, Senator Tarvon. For now, goodnight." Avner pulled up his hood and walked away from him. He didn't like the fact that they knew him to be Little Runner now or that they were involved in this mess with the mandalorians as well. However, since Justin was the senator and it did make sense for the mandalorians to target him there had been no way of avoiding this in the long run.

x – Twenty-eight years ago – x

Little Runner crawled over to where Reca and Meca were sleeping under the two blankets they shared. "Meca, Reca," he whispered to them. "Wake up," – he shook them – "we could go see Uncle today if we hurry."

Meca and Reca stirred. "Little Runner," Reca grumbled and glared at him from under the blanket. "It's too early." She curled back up under the blankets next to her sister.

"Is not!" Little Runner protested. "Uncle likes early!"

At his words Meca was up, grinning. "Let's go, Reca, before the others notice that's where we're going again."

Reca grumbled and opened one eye. "But I want more sleep," she complained.

"If you sleep more then we can't see Uncle today," Little Runner pointed out as he poked her. "Meca and I want to see him today. If you sleep then Justin will have a run for us instead."

"Fine." Reca sat up and crawled out of the sleeping area the three of them shared.

Little Runner followed her and Meca out. They were the smallest and youngest members of the group and thus they slept near the back of the building. Some of the others were already awake including Sasha. But Sasha was always the first to rise. While she didn't go on as many runs as everyone else she saw to the supplies and made certain everyone had everything they needed to be happy and healthy. Little Runner had seen what a mother was like and thought that if their family had a mother it would have to be Sasha.

"Where are you three off to?" she asked as they passed.

"To see Uncle," Little Runner told her without fear. It was Justin who didn't like the fact they spent so much time at Uncle's. Sasha had never minded it as much.

"Be careful and come back before dark this time," she told them before going back to the little food they had left from the previous day.

"We will!" Little Runner assured her before racing towards the entrance. The twins were only a step behind him.

As always Little Runner was in the lead of their small group. He darted between place to place, peering in through the windows at the shops he'd never been in or looking at something new that drew his attention before he ran back to the twins to check on them. He repeated this all the way to Uncle's.

When they arrived, Uncle was already in the alley waiting for them. "I figured you three would be here today." He led them into the store room of the diner. There was a small table near the entrance into the kitchen which held data-pads and other items. Meca took a seat at the table to learn from Uncle while Little Runner and Reca played around the store, careful just in case something fell on them.

Today Little Runner was curious about what Meca was doing so he crept on the table while Uncle was in the kitchen seeing to one of the costumers. Little Runner clambered up into Uncle's chair and looked at the data-pads.

"Little Runner." Reca moved over to them as well. "What are you doing? Reading is boring. Let's play."

"Reading?" Little Runner picked up one of the data-pads and stared at the strange drawings going across the screen. As he stared at the symbols, he saw patterns in the way they appeared across the screen. He blinked and held it out to Meca, "What this?"

Meca looked up from her own data-pad and what she'd been writing down on another. "History," she told him. "This one is about the founding of the Republic. It's really boring, but Uncle said it's important to know history. I rather like this stuff instead." She held up the one she'd been looking at.

"What it?"

"How our government is run," she told him. "Uncle says Justin also likes this stuff and that Justin wants to try and get into politics if he can."

"Without parents?" Little Runner's eyes grew wide. That seemed impossible. He knew it took a lot to make it in the galaxy as an adult.

"Yup," Meca nodded. "He said he didn't care, he was going to try and make it anyway!"

Little Runner was awed by this. If Justin had that grand a dream, did it mean even Little Runner could have a dream too? He didn't have a name that was like Justin's or Sasha's. Most saw it as strange, but that didn't mean Little Runner couldn't have a dream too.

"I see someone has taken my seat," Uncle said with a small laugh.

Little Runner turned in the chair and held up the data-pad to Uncle. "Teach, please?" he asked with wide eyes. He wanted to learn as much as he could and looking at things wasn't the way to do it.

"All right," Uncle pulled up another chair, "but only if you can sit still through the lesson, Little Runner."

"I will, I promise." Little Runner sat down. He couldn't see too well so he tucked his legs under him so he could see the top of the table.

Reca sighed and got into the chair next to her sister. "I guess playing is out now," she grumbled.

The rest of the day passed with Uncle, when he wasn't cooking, teaching Little Runner and Reca how to read. Little Runner picked it up faster than Reca was. By the end of the day he knew how to read some of the data-pad on history, but it wasn't much. He was rather disappointed by this. There was so much to learn and reading was hard.

"All right, here you three are." Uncle passed them three bags filled with food. "I hope to see you again," he smiled down at them.

"You will!" Little Runner promised.

Meca and Reca thanked him before heading off. Little Runner was a step behind them when Uncle called, "Little, wait a moment."

He turned back to Uncle to see him holding out two data-pads.

"Take these with you. If you have questions on them ask Meca or Justin."

"Okay." Little Runner took the data-pads in his free hand. "Thank you, Uncle." He gave Uncle an awkward hug before racing after Meca and Reca.

The trek back was all too slow for Little Runner's liking. He wanted to get home and start looking over the data-pads Uncle had given him. When they finally arrived back, Little Runner was the last one to slip through into the building. He blinked and glanced around. The building seemed emptier than normal.

"Where is everyone?" Meca asked she set down her bag.

Justin stopped talking with Zeel and Sasha when he noticed them. The older boy walked over to them. "The orphanages had more openings than normal. There was just enough for just about everyone here to be taken in. With any luck they'll be adopted by good families."

"But we were their family," Little Runner whispered as he glanced around at the few who remained.

"This isn't the easiest life, Little Runner. If not for your insistence on staying and the twins fear for any adult outside of Uncle I would have gotten you three to go as well."

"But the others," Little Runner started to protest. He couldn't understand why they would want to leave the family.

"They wanted to go, Little." Sasha knelt down before him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "They all wanted a chance at a real family."

"This is a real family!" Little Runner shouted.

"Little Runner." Justin sighed and knelt down beside Sasha. "This is your family and where you belong. No one will ever make you leave. I promise." He turned his gaze on the twins and Zeel. "I promise all of you I will never force you to leave."

Little Runner felt only a little better about this, but he didn't speak about how empty the home felt with most their brothers and sisters missing. With them gone, they would be able to survive almost completely on what Uncle gave them. But it still didn't fell right to have just given their brothers and sisters to the orphanage.

The space Little Runner and twins slept in was warmer with the extra blankets Sasha had given them. Little Runner sat up for a long time until the twins entered. "Can I ask something?" he asked when they had sat down in their sleeping spot with their extra blankets.

"What?" Reca asked as she made a nest for her and sister out of some of the blankets.

"Why scared of adults?"

Meca went pale at the question and hid under her blankets while Reca paused in what she was doing. "It's nothing, Little. Nothing, understand?"

"But," he started.

"It's nothing!" she snapped at him.

Little Runner flinched and hid his head under a blanket. "Sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean…" He rolled over so his back was to them. He hadn't meant to upset them. Really, he hadn't. He just didn't understand why they were so scared of adults.

He clutched the two data-pads to his chest. His throat felt tight with an odd pain in his chest. Little Runner swallowed passed it and pulled the blankets up over his head. He turned on one of the data-pads under the blankets.

There in the quiet night, where only the soft breathing of the twins could be heard, Little Runner felt the pain ease as he started to try to read again. He would never ask them that again. Never, ever.

x – Present Day – x

Avner had woken after only a few hours of sleep. He was going through the latest reports from the front. Most of the reports were form days ago if not longer. The Republic didn't want to let the news come in as it was happening so most of the information Avner could get was reports on the battles the Republic was letting through and nothing more. Most of the, as it had been, were losses.

From what Avner could tell there had been two major battles following Serroco: the Battle of Nouane and the Battle of Dagary Minor. Both had been short and ended when the Republic had retreated resulting in the capture of the planets. Avner let out a low breath and lowered the data-pad holding the so called "latest news" from the front. He rubbed his eyes. There hadn't been a single win since the invasion had started.

At this rate the Republic would be overrun within the next year or two. Avner closed his eyes and leaned back in the pilot's seat. He felt drained and it wasn't from the fact he'd gotten little sleep the past two days. It was more a drain coming from the fact it felt as if no matter how dire the situation got the Council still refused to see they would eventually have to enter the war. The fact remained the Jedi were needed.

But now it was going further than the fact the Jedi were needed. The Republic Senate needed to elect a new Supreme Commander and unite their forces so as to stand on equal footing with Mandalore. Without a Supreme Commander there were too many differences from admiral to admiral for their forces to be fully unified. The lack of communication was destroying the Republic military just as surely as the Mandalorians were.

The comm. went off just then. Avner straightened, frowning. He accepted the call and the holo-gram of Darious appeared between the pilot's and co-pilot's seat.

"Sorry to break comm. salience, Master," Darious started, "but it's Alek."

"What about him? He should be heading back by now, shouldn't he?" Avner asked. Alek had gone start to the meeting place without delay. He would have arrived some time ago and sent the message to Darious that he was heading back by now.

"That's just it, we've not received anything from him since the message that he had arrived came through."

Avner frowned and spread out his awareness. "I don't believe he's dead," said Avner after several long moments. "We both would have felt his passing."

"I had a bad feeling about the meeting with Arkoh," Darious told Avner. "Perhaps the man wanted more than we could offer. Perhaps—"

Avner held up his hand to stop Darious from continuing on. "Look into the matter, but try not to leave Cathar. We can't afford to split the group further right now. Meetra and I should be heading back in the next several days or so."

"All right, Master."

"Contact me when you've found something," Avner instructed him. "I'll most likely be with Senator Tarvon for most of the day."

Darious frowned. "I take it the mandalorians are after him as well, then?" he asked.

"So it would appear."

Meetra entered the cockpit and took the co-pilot's seat without interrupting them.

"Master, I will look into the matter as you have ordered. If I can get through to the Senator then I will pass on whatever I find to you. If Alek makes contact I will also pass that on."

"My thanks, Darious."

"There's one more matter before I go."

"Yes?"

"Ferroh believes another city might hold more information than the one we're in. According to the records we've found here the cut off for supplies and goods was cut off after the other cities further from the capitol. The information uncovered also pointed to sudden decrease in supply as if more people came to this city. I was thinking of skipping several cities and just heading to the capitol."

Avner hesitated. There was a chance, no matter how small, that what they were looking for was in one of the other cities. Yet, he trusted Darious's view and Ferroh's console on this matter.

"Send a few to the other cities to check the records there just to make certain the pattern continues," Avner instructed. "If it does then move the entire group to the capitol. This time try searching in the underground as well in case the years have buried any of the evidence."

"It will be done, Master. I'll send if we've moved to the capitol or not in the next report."

"So much of comm. silence," Avner laughed and smiled at his old friend.

"True. May the Force be with you, Master." Darious bowed.

"And with you, old friend." The transmission ended with those words.

Silence fell over the cockpit. Avner looked out the window, his hand on his chin as he thought on the news Darious had just given. If Alek had ended up in a battle then what? The council could very well take that the wrong way, but more than that Avner was worried for his oldest friend. Even if Alek wasn't dead he could be injured or captured again. If he had been captured, Avner could never forgive himself for that. It would have been the second time an order he gave Alek had ended up with Alek being captured.

Alek still hadn't recovered from the last time he had been held by the mandalorians. Arren and Darious had told Avner in private that it was unlikely Alek would ever fully recover. His hair, for one, would never grow back.

Until he was told otherwise, Avner would assume Alek had escaped and was unable to make contact with their group. It was better than believing any of the alternatives. In believing this Avner would at least be able to focus on what he needed to do while here.

"So, you really are the Revanchist Leader."

Avner looked at the girl in confusion. He had almost forgotten she was in the room at all. "You still doubted even after last night?" he asked.

"I did," she confessed. "I guess a part of me was hoping you were just a fellow member of the group who liked being very secretive." She laughed at this. "What were you doing before Master Darious called?" she asked, changing the subject.

The data-pad was still in Avner's hand. He looked at it, most of his thoughts on the latest news had been forgotten in the wake of Darious's news. "It was the latest news reports from the front," he informed her. "Two more battles were lost."

"The war really isn't going too well for the Republic. Do you think they'll take Telos as well?" she asked.

"No. The pattern I see is that they're just trying to head for supply worlds and worlds that will cripple the Republic at this point."

"Then why do you think Cathar holds the key you're looking for?"

"Cathar has been quiet for too long," he told her. "The reason for its sudden and continued silence is a mystery. I fell as if it has something to do with this war and the mandalorians."

"But you don't know for certain?" she asked, both of her eyebrows raised at this.

"None of us will until what is there is found." Avner stood. "You're awake, we should return to the Capitol Building." He tugged back up his hood.

"What happened to keeping a low profile?" she asked as she followed him.

"After last night? I don't see a point in doing so."

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><p><strong>(Author's Note: <strong>I will admit Little Runner is a lot harder to write compared to Avner. I know they're the same person but Little Runner is only three (in the flashback here) and it's hard to write that young of children. He will have a role for a few more chapters. Who knows flashbacks around Revan's younger self might be reoccurring throughout the story as well, but all of Little Runner needs to be done before we leave Telos (so chapter 24 will see the end of Little Runner telling the story).**)**


	23. Chapter 21

**A request:** If you read this and enjoy the story, please comment. I love hearing what people have to say about the story.

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><p>Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars<br>Chapter 21

The morning was crisp and cool even for this time of year. Avner led the way through the streets towards the Capitol Building. Unlike the other day the streets were almost empty apart from a few early risers. Those few glanced in Avner's direction before hurrying off to whisper to some about having seen the Revanchist walking passed.

"People certainly take more notice of you when your hood is up, Master," Meetra mused after the umpteenth time this happened.

"True," was all Avner said in reply.

The rest of the walk to the Capitol Building passed in awkward silence between them. Meetra seemed unwilling to speak with him now that she knew he was really the Revanchist Leader. Avner wasn't certain if he blamed her for this or not. He was still the same person he had been the other day.

When they arrived at the Capitol Building Reca was waiting outside from them. "I thought you said you were going to be here in the morning," her voice was sharp and lashed at them as wipe would.

"It is the morning," Avner stated. "Still quite early by the height of the sun alone."

"I've been waiting since before dawn since you didn't give Justin the exact time you would arriving here, Master Jedi."

"Who's up before dawn?" Avner was a little confused to why Justin would have Reca stand out here for so long. It didn't make any sense.

Reca glared at him and strode into the Capitol Building.

"What's wrong with her?" Meetra asked. "I've been greeted with discontent before, but we did just help save her boss's life last night, didn't we?"

"I doubt that's what she's upset about." Avner followed Reca into the Capitol building.

Reca was waiting for them again, her arms folded across her chest and tapping her foot against the ground. "Keep pace, Jedi, I don't have all day."

"Did we do something to upset you?" Meetra asked in as patient a voice as it sounded she could do.

"Yes!" Reca growled. "We shouldn't even be talking with your group and yet here we are talking with not only members of the Revanchists but the Revanchist himself!" she spat at Avner's feet.

Avner stared at her, stunned by her reaction and the sudden hate he sensed in her. His voice had lodged in his throat. After last night and being revealed as having been revealed as being Little Runner, there had been a part of him that hoped she wouldn't be as upset as before. Yet here she was just as enraged over the fact he was the Revanchist as she had been the night before… if not more so.

"The Revanchists are helping the Republic!" Meetra defended their group.

"Help?!" Reca scoffed at this. "What help have any of you been? Our soldiers are dying by the thousands per battle while you Jedi sit back and do _nothing_."

"We are doing something!" Meetra retorted as she took a step towards Reca. "Just because we've not fully entered the war doesn't mean there aren't Jedi out there who want to help."

"What help have any of you been?" Reca demanded. "The Republic is losing ground by the day and none of you Jedi are doing a damned thing about it. Your group," – she turned back to Avner – "is only making matters worse. You bring a false hope that the Jedi will do something about the war!"

Avner needed to say something. He needed to act before this got too out of hand, but his tongue felt heavy and mouth dry. Of all the ways he had expected to be greeted this morning, hatred this raw and deep from Reca of all people hadn't been one of them. The only time he had felt this much anger in her before was when he had been three. Her rage then had been directed towards another and not at Avner.

_There is no emotion; there is peace_. Avner repeated the opening phrase several times before he managed to take a deep breath and speak, "We are doing all we can."

"It isn't good enough," Reca snapped. She stepped up to Avner until she was less than a foot from him. Her purple eyes were made of fire as she glared up into the shadows of his hood.

"Reca!" a sharp voice intervened. Uncle pulled her back. "That's no way to act," he scolded her.

Avner took another deep, calming breath before he spoke again, "Our group walks a very fine line with both the Order and the Republic. While everyone of the Jedi in the Revanchists wants nothing more than to aid the Republic we can't do anything without either approval of the High Council or the senate.

"Without either groups' support the Republic Military can't accept the aid of 'rouge' Jedi without fear of backlash from both the Order and the Republic. Thus, we can't do anything but search for answers at this point in time."

Reca glared at him. Her hand balled into a fist and body tense as she prepared to strike him.

Avner braced himself for the strike, but it never came. Uncle still had hold of her wrist and thus she couldn't really lash out at Avner without breaking Uncle's hold on her which might just injure Uncle. She at least seemed to realize this much.

Without another word Reca turned from Avner. Uncle reluctantly released her wrist and she started off down the hall. "Follow," she growled at them.

Avner fell in behind her. He kept enough distance that if she really did change her mind and turned to him he would have enough time to react to it. Uncle kept with Avner while Meetra walked on Avner's other side. The girl didn't seem to mind the way Reca had reacted to their group and what they were trying to do. Perhaps she had sensed that Reca's problem rested more with Avner than it actually did with the Revanchists as a whole and perhaps she was just able to hide her emotions like so many Jedi could.

"Reca," – Uncle was now walking beside Reca, trying to keep pace with her longer, more angry strides – "there's no need to be upset at these Jedi for what's happening in the war."

She snorted and shot a glare in Avner's direction. "Right, they're just making everything worse by trying to enter the war."

"Reca."

"Master," Meetra whispered to Avner, "do people generally meet you with such… _hate_?"

Avner smiled at her. "You should have seen them two years ago," he told her. "Compared to their reaction then, the commander's is minor. Besides, I would rather be shouted at for trying to help than for standing idly by and watching the Republic burn." He thought of the council as he said this and their words when he had last spoken to him. It felt as if it had just been yesterday when several months had passed since then. Still, the masters couldn't be pleased that Avner had ignored their orders once more and gone off to Cathar. If the Force was with them then the masters might be thrown off by his appearance here on Telos. This could buy them a little more time to find whatever was hidden on Cathar.

The rest of the trip to the office passed in silence between Meetra and Avner while Uncle tried and kept failing to calm Reca down. A part of Avner figured the reason Reca was so upset had to really do with his group. Another part of him couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with the fact he was Little Runner. Yet another part thought it just might have something to do with Jedi in general.

The doors into the senator's officer were massive and almost reminded Avner of the setup the Supreme Chancellor had back on Coruscant. Granted, Avner had only set foot in the Chancellor's office once before and that had been for only a short time. It had been near the end of his time as a padawan learner and was only because a higher ranked master had over seen the last year or so of Avner's training due to the passing of Avner's second master.

Beyond the doors the doors the office itself was spacious. It held a desk at the far end of the room with several soft chairs set up before the desk. A window looked out over the city and to the plains just beyond. Justin was seated at the desk, pouring over several data-pads when Avner and Meetra entered the room.

He looked up and smiled at them. "Welcome, Master Jedi," he greeted both Avner and Meetra. "Reca, thank you bringing them." He stood and moved around his desk until he was before them. "Master Meetra, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside with the commander, I'd like to speak with the Revanchist alone."

Meetra hesitated and glanced at Reca who glared back her. She looked at him and he nodded for her to do as the senator had asked. Meetra bowed to the senator before she left the room. After a moment Reca did the same. Uncle and the senator's wife, Sasha, remained in the room along with Zeel who was standing guard near the door.

"I do hope they don't end up in another argument," Uncle sounded more than a bit worried over this.

"Her problem is more with me than it is with Meetra," Avner pointed out.

"None of us were expecting to ever see you again, Little," Sasha stepped forward so she was standing by her husband.

Avner smiled. "The Force works in mysterious ways." He paused and frowned. "It has been a long time since anyone's called me by that name."

"That other Jedi kept calling you 'Master,'" Uncle stated as he took one of the chairs in the room.

Justin returned to his seat and Sasha also took one of the chairs. Not certain if he should follow or not, Avner remained standing.

"But you've yet to speak your new name, Little," Uncle finished.

"My name is whatever the media sees fit to call me at this point," Avner stated in way of reply. He turned to the matter he was really here about before they could keep asking him questions. "About last night, with the mandalorians targeting you and Sera both, it would be for the best if you increased your security, Senator. Perhaps even contact the Jedi Temple here for the protection they can provide both yourself and Sera."

Justin frowned. "I would rather not increase security, it would only cause a panic among the citizens if they learned the war has come to Telos as well."

"Justin," – Zeel stepped forward at this – "I must protest this move. Telos can't afford to lose you now and—"

Justin held up his hand to stop Zeel from continuing. "I will not increase security over this, Zeel." He looked Zeel in the eye. There was determined glint in his gaze that told Avner no matter how much they pressed he wouldn't change his mind. "Nor will I return to Coruscant. Running from the problem won't resolve it and it would only place Sera in more danger. My life shouldn't be held on a higher level than hers."

Avner looked between them. Zeel seemed upset over this matter while Justin was calm and steadfast in his belief. "It's doubtful the mandalorians would have given up just because Meetra and I appeared last night, Senator. You should listen to your security."

"And what of you?" Justin countered as he looked at Avner. "Now that the mandalorian knows you're here I doubt she'll stop coming after you as well. Your movement is more a threat to her people than myself or Sera are."

Avner frowned. "I don't see what that has to do with keeping you safe, Senator."

"Why don't you and Meetra stay with us?" Sasha asked. "That way you know for certain Justin is safe."

"That's a wonderful idea," Justin seemed to brighten at this.

"No," Avner stated in flat tones.

"Why?" Zeel was the one to ask this. "With you two nearby, Justin would be safer."

"For one, his reputation would suffer with associating with myself or any from the Revanchists. I suggested contacting the Order because then a master or knight could be assigned to you and your reputation wouldn't surfer for it. I'm not the most respectable knight in the Order at the moment." Or ever really.

"That doesn't matter," Justin stopped Avner from continuing on.

"I have information regarding their commander your guard will find useful," Avner stated, changing the subject once more and trying to make it clear he wasn't going to stay in the same instance. "The mandalorian commander was the one who led the ground assault on Tarnith nearly three years ago. She's ruthless on the field of battle and is capable of swaying loyalties to the side of the mandalorians as she did with the Prime Minster of Tarnith."

"I heard of that incident," Zeel said with a frown. "The same report stated a Jedi had been on Tarnith during the early part of the resistance. Was that you, Little Runner?"

Avner ignored this question and pulled out a data-pad. "This data-pad holds more information on her." He stated and held out to Zeel who took it. "Meetra and I will be staying until we're certain a member of the Order has been called in or your security has been tightened," he informed them.

"Then why not stay until you know for a fact they're no longer a threat?" Sasha asked. "It would be good to have some time to speak with you, Little Runner."

"No," Avner rejected the idea again.

"Where have you and your fellow Jedi been staying?" Sasha seemed to not have heard him.

Avner sighed. _There is no emotion; there is peace_. "I don't see how that matters," he stated.

"You could answer at least one question," stated Zeel with a less than amused scowl.

"Very well. Look at it this way, Jedi are funded through the Republic. The credits go to the High Council, who then divide it between the temples. The council at each temple then divide the funding up between the knights and masters who they send out on missions. Most of the time food and shelter are provided to the knight or master in question. As is transport and thus most of the credits are spent in order to get results in the mission or for other expenses or for the upkeep of the temples. If a Jedi helps someone and the person in question sees fit to give credits, then the Jedi in question is permitted to keep those credits or give it to the Order to help with funding the temples.

"Without the support of the High Council, the Revanchists are cut off from this funding. What credits we do have goes towards fuel and food. Those of us trained in piloting switch off on who is piloting or co-piloting at any given time when in transit. The shuttles are seen to by those who have even the most basic understanding of repair. Only a few of us leave the main group at any time on minor missions related to the war such as this one.

"Given this information, do you believe we have the credits to afford a hotel? Last night was the only night Meetra and I would eat something out side of military rations. What we have left credit wise will be spent on the fuel needed to return to the main group. To answer your question: we're staying in the shuttle we brought here."

For several long moments those in the room just stared at Avner. "You're saying, you're living in a shuttle right?" Sasha asked, sounding almost horrified.

"Sleeping, yes, living, no."

Their reaction to this was one of shock. Avner couldn't figure out why. A shuttle wasn't the worst place to sleep after all. In fact he had slept in far worse places during his years as a Jedi and especially during the early years of the Revanchists.

"You're staying with us then," Sasha said, her tone implied no one was going to argue with her this time.

"Ma'am, that really isn't—"

"No, arguing, Little Runner!" Sasha glared at him. "You're staying with us until your mission here is over and that's that."

Before Avner could argue, the door opened and Reca entered the room. "Senator," she started in a formal voice, "there's a transmission coming in from Cathar."

"Cathar? But that planet has been silent for over ten years." Justin looked at Avner. "Is that where your main group is?"

"Yes," Avner stated.

"Then send it through," Justin instructed Reca.

She nodded.

Avner moved over to where Justin now stood before the receiver. A moment later Darious appeared. "Master, Senator," Darious bowed to him and Justin.

"Did you find the information?" Avner asked.

"Yes, it appears you were correct in predicting we weren't the only group Arkoh Adasca invited. A Republic admiral, Saul Karath, and Mandalore were also invited," Darious spoke with an odd note to his voice.

"Mandalore would've had to cross the front to get to the Omonoth system," Avner pointed out. "I suppose what Arkoh was offering was tempting enough for the man to do so."

"So it would appear given the reports I managed to get from the admiral."

"That doesn't seem to be a wise move placing three groups who are ready to kill one another in the same room," Justin said from beside Avner. "How many did you send?" he asked Avner.

"One," Avner replied. "What happened?" he asked Darious.

"According to the report, Squint did try to attack Mandalore on his arrival but failed. It appears Arkoh was trying to use the product of Adascorp to move into a position of power with the Republic, Mandalorians, or us."

Avner grimaced. He could just imagine what that man had wanted with the Revanchists. It was no longer a shock to why he had invited them in the first place. As "rouge" Jedi he might have believed they would be swayed to become his own personal Jedi Order just to keep the slugs out of Mandalore's hands.

"What happened?"

Darious smiled at this. "It seems Zayne was brought in by the Republic as a prisoner, and with the help of Master Draay and a few others, they managed to turn the situation so that it appeared the Order had set a trap for Mandalore. The resulting battle saw the retreat of Mandalore from Omonoth space as well as Admiral Karath. Carrick was reported to have escaped during the battle along with a few others."

"Given that information it can be assumed Alek went with Carrick. Which in turn explains why he never reported in after the meeting."

"He's most likely trying to repay the debt so many of us owe Zayne after Flashpoint. Squint most of all wanted to repay Zayne by helping him clear his name of the false charges against him."

"I doubt we'll hear from Alek for a few months at the very least."

"Agreed. I've sent along the reports of what happened there as well as a list of causalities. The Republic took the fewest losses of any battle yet."

"My thanks, Darious."

"On another, related matter. On the off chance we found what we're looking for, I looked into how long it would be until we could meet with the High Council."

Avner raised both eyebrows at this. He hadn't thought on that just yet. Right then he would have just been happy to actually find something of note.

"It would appear they're only taking reports on current missions, Master. They're entering debates over electing a new member to their ranks."

Avner winced. Those debates could take _years_ to complete. "Anyone of note?" he asked.

"Well, Master Kae's out," Darious joked.

"Obviously given the fact she's been traveling with us." And _many_ other reasons.

"I've sent along those few we've managed to think of and note who have come up as options throughout previous council discussions. No matter who is elected, I doubt they'll see us any good light."

"Agreed." If this was also what Avner thought it might be and who he thought they might elect got elected, then they would be facing arrest next. "Darious, if the records in the other cities don't show the same pattern send a few knights back to check over the cities. Have the rest head for the capitol. I'll rejoin you as soon as I'm done here."

Darious smiled, seeing what Avner was doing. "All right. I'll have them finish packing camp and tell Master Kae where to meet us once her group is done. May the Force be with you."

"And with you."

The transmission ended.

Avner turned back to those in the room. Reca was still there. To the senator's wife he stated, "You've my thanks, my lady. I'll wait outside with your guard until the day's business has been concluded." He took the data-pads which would have the information Darious had sent on them from Justin before he followed Reca out of the room.

x – Twenty-eight years ago – x

The day was cold and light snow and floated down through the gapes in the old building. Little Runner huddled under his blankets where he sat above the other children in a small space all his own. He clutched a data-pad in his small hands. Right then he was reading about an ancient battle and the founding the Galactic Republic. Below he could just hear the remainder of the group shouting and laughing as they played.

A few months ago Little Runner would have been down there with them, but that was before he had started to learn to read. His favorite parts of history were old wars, where the Republic struggled to maintain control and normally won either by a lot or just barely. The wars were won with the aid of a group called the Jedi. Some of them had another group which matched the Jedi called Sith. Little Runner didn't much like the Sith but the Jedi, they were amazing.

"Little!" a voice called to him.

Little Runner looked up from his data-pad to see Sasha had climbed up to join him. "Hi, Sasha!" he greeted her with a large smile.

"What are you doing up here, Little?" she asked as she settled down next to him. A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders and she shivered a little in the cold. "It's warm down below with the others.

"I'm reading," he told her and held up the data-pad.

Sasha blinked. "You've been reading a lot lately, ever since Uncle started to teach you. What are you reading today?"

"It's a battle," he told her, "between Jedi and Sith for the fate of the Republic." He grinned. "I like the Jedi a lot. They use their power to help those in need and no one is scared of them." His smile faded a little. "I wonder where they are now?" he mumbled. "They could help us here, couldn't they?"

"They could," Sasha told him, "but why would they? They have an entire Republic to worry about. Besides, I've never seen one even before I was on the streets."

Little Runner frowned and looked at the data-pad he held. "I wonder why," he muttered. "Could I ask Uncle? He knows everything!"

The soft smile appeared on her face. "He doesn't know _everything_, Little. I won't stop you from asking. Take Meca or Reca with you if you go," she told him. "And be certain to thank him for the food."

"I will!" Little Runner followed her down from the upper part of the building.

When he got down he spotted Meca sitting with Justin. The two of them where sitting close together, sharing their blankets as they looked over the data-pads Uncle had given them. As Little Runner had learned soon after he had started reading, they were studying for when they got old enough to try for jobs. Both wanted to work in political fields. And both were too intent right now for him to try to ask Meca to come with him.

Little Runner turned around and scanned the group of those playing nearby. Reca wasn't with them which meant she was in their sleeping place. He moved over to it and crawled in. Sure enough, Reca was there.

"Hey, Reca," Little Runner started.

"Go away, Little," she glared at him.

Little Runner blinked, taken aback by her sudden anger towards him. "Is this about asking why you don't like adults?" he asked. "I'm really sorry about that, Reca," he mumbled.

"It has nothing to do with that," she whispered. "It's just, I don't want to talk with anyone today. So leave me alone, please."

"O-oh, okay." Little Runner backed out of their sleeping place and glanced around. Reca wouldn't go with him and Meca was busy, but Little Runner really wanted to speak with Uncle. He glanced at where Sasha was. She was helping tend one of the other members who had tripped.

Little Runner edged towards the entrance. He glanced one last time at Sasha to make certain she was still looking away before slipping out into the cold, snow filled world. Little Runner took off down the street. The cold snow leaked through the clothes wrapped around his normally bare feet. Little Runner shivered but kept running until Uncle's diner came into view. He slid as he tried to make the turn and stumbled a few paces before he managed to get into the alley.

"Little Runner?" Uncle was shocked when the door opened. "What are you doing here _alone_?" he asked and glanced up and down the alley for others who might have been with Little Runner.

"The others went off. They'll come get me down the alley later," Little Runner lied, knowing that Uncle wouldn't like to hear the truth. "Can I ask some questions?"

"Of course, come in out of the cold." Uncle ushered Little Runner inside. A few moments later they were seated at the table in the back with something hot to drink. "What did you want to know?"

"The Jedi," Little Runner started, "why aren't they helping here too?"

Uncle frowned and spotted the data-pad Little Runner had placed on the table. "You've been reading about them, I see." He smiled at Little Runner. "For the most part, there aren't that many left. Just a hand full of them scattered throughout the Republic. The last war took its toll on them."

"Oh," Little Runner blinked. "There was another war? Were the Sith part of it?" he asked.

"Yes," there was a dark note to Uncle's voice.

"What happened?"

So Uncle told him about the betrayal of Exar Kun and the war which followed in its wake. The war had been short, lasting just under a year, but it had been bloody. The Sith Lord Exar Kun had pushed through to Coruscant itself before he and Mandalore the Indomitable were killed.

Despite the short length of the war, the Jedi Order had taken the most losses. From what Uncle knew about it, their losses had numbered to be well over three fourth of the Order. They were searching now for Force sensitives to train and raise as Jedi.

"Force sensitives?" Little Runner asked. "What's that?"

Uncle hesitated as he looked at Little Runner. Little Runner had never seen such an odd look in Uncle's eye before. "A Force sensitive is what you are, Little."

This didn't help. It only made Little Runner more confused. "What do you mean?"

Uncle took a deep breath. "Do you remember the day we met?"

"Yup." Little Runner nodded.

"Remember how you saved Reca and I?"

"Yeah." Little Runner frowned. "I promise, I'm using the power."

"That power is how I know you're a Force sensitive, Little," Uncle explained. "I've only ever heard of Jedi being able to do what you did."

"My power is like the Jedi?" Little Runner felt his eyes grow wide at this. "It's a good power then?" he asked.

"It can be."

"I can use it to help my family?"

Uncle hesitated before replying, "You could."

"Then I'll practice it!" Little Runner declared. "To help all of them, to help Meca and Reca too so that they don't have to be so scared all the time." Yes, that was what Little Runner could use this power to do. It was what Jedi did, right? Help people. So he could use his power to help as well, right? To help his family!

Uncle chuckled. "Have you ever thought what would happen if the Jedi came for?" Uncle asked.

"What?" Little Runner looked at him in confusion. "Why would they?" he asked. "I'm not special or anything like that." He couldn't under why the Jedi would interested in him at all. He was just one of the many in his family. If they wanted to help anyone it should have been Justin or Meca or Reca, not Little Runner.

"Never mind." Uncle shook his head. "You should head back before it gets dark. I don't want you carrying anything back, it's too slick out there. And don't run, okay, Little Runner?"

"Okay," Little Runner said as he slid off the chair and headed towards the door. "Thanks for everything, Uncle." He bowed to Uncle before going off into the cold once more.

Once Little Runner was out of Uncle's sight he raced off towards home. He couldn't wait to get back and read more about the Jedi and tell someone everything he had just learned.

Little Runner slipped as he foot struck ice. The next moment his data-pad fell from his hand. "No!" he leapt at it only just catching it. He stuck the ground hard. Pain lanced through his body as he slid out of control down the street.

_Whack _– fire raced through Little Runner's head. Darkness flew over his eyes and he knew no more.

x – Present Day – x

Avner stopped in the hall and told Meetra they were staying for a time to guard the senator. Meetra just nodded and kept to her position close to the door. Avner joined her. The report that Admiral Karath had made was in his hand while he had tucked the other two data-pads away.

As it turned out, most of what Darious had told Avner had been what happened with Arkoh. The report ended with it being assumed that Arkoh had been killed when his slugs had been turned on him. It was fate Avner wished on one given all he had read about those slugs. Alek was mentioned several times through the report. The other reports on the data-pad were from the soldiers who had been with Karath. Lieutenant Carth Onasi, who had lost that rank after this report had been made, had the most detailed of the reports. It showed how he had helped with the plan to stop Arkoh and try to capture Mandalore. It also stated that Zayne had escaped.

The last any of them had seen, outside of Admiral Karath who had been knocked out in the fighting, of Alek had been him trying to help Lucien stop the HK droids from getting to the main group. Avner tucked that data-pad away and scanned over the one with casualties. He smiled. As assumed, Alek's name wasn't on the list so he had left with Zayne after all.

"What's the smile for, Jedi?" Reca asked her tones more than a little harsh.

"The reports from the latest battle," he told her. "The mandalorians took the hardest hit by the looks of it. Though, it also appears we won't be seeing Arkoh around anymore either."

"Arkoh?" Meetra asked. "Wasn't he the one who invited you to see some new invention or another?"

"Yes, a scheme to try and gain his own Order by what was said in these reports. He was pitting us, the Republic, and Mandalore against one another through politics for his own gain."

"Was that where Master Alek was heading to when Master Darious called?"

"Yes," Avner stated. "Given the option between politics and this mission, he chose the politics. Something about not wanting to sneak around too much."

Meetra laughed. "We've not done too much sneaking, Master."

"True."

"But Alek assumed it would be trying to stay unnoticed. Keeping a low profile and Alek don't always go well in the same sentence."

Meetra laughed at this. "He did make it known he was Dantooine. You should have seen Master Vrook's face when we all left with him." She grinned. "Priceless."

"Oh, I can imagine it well enough."

"Isn't Master Vrook the name of one of the High Council Jedi?" Reca asked.

"Yes, he's also known for the fact he takes everything seriously and his conservative nature. Which is rather ironic considering he is the only master to have learned a Dark side technique. Though he rarely uses it."

Meetra stared at Avner. "He knows one. But that's forbidden!"

"I have a feeling he picked it up during the Great Sith War," Avner stated. "He was a knight at the time." Avner frowned. "Though, I will admit when I asked he just scowled at me."

"That sounds like Master Vrook," Meetra smiled. "I've never gotten an answer out of him which wasn't met with a scowl or a look of disapproval. I don't invy any of his former padawans that's for certain."

"I don't know, Master Marcus isn't too bad."

"Isn't he a duel wielding specialist who actually uses two normal lightsabers?" Meetra asked.

"That would be him."

"I've never meet him. But I heard he's just as conservative as Master Vrook."

"True. You should have heard the argument he and I had over the relationship of the Jedi Order and the Republic."

Meetra blinked. "I take it your stance has something to do with Jedi acting even when Sith aren't around?"

Avner looked at the girl. "Obviously."

Something was wrong. Avner straightened. A moment later Meetra did as well. Danger, in the other room. _Crash _– the sound of a window breaking came out to them. Avner raced into the room. Sure enough a Mandalorian had crashed through the window. Zeel was the on the ground before Justin and Sasha. Blood trickled from a head wound, but the man was straight backed and held his blaster steady.

Avner activated his lightsaber. This drew the mandalorian's attention.

"_Osik_," the mandalorian spat before he raced towards the window. He leapt.

Avner threw his 'saber towards the mandalorian as he took the air. The blade sliced through the jetpack. The mandalorian fell towards the ground below. Avner caught him with the Force while he caught his lightsaber with his other hand. He flicked his wrist. The mandalorian flew back into the room and slammed into the wall behind Avner.

The mandalorian gasped as he straightened. His blaster was in his hand once more. "_Kote kyr'am_," he growled and pointed the blaster at Justin.

Reca leapt forward, her blaster out.

"Wait!" Avner shouted at her, but it was too late. She let out volley of shot at the mandalorian.

The mandalorian fell limp, blaster loose as the life faded from him. A small breath escaped Avner. He walked over to the mandalorian as he sheathed his 'saber.

"Why did you say that?" Reca demanded. "He was going to kill Justin!"

"'_Kote Kyr'am_,'" Avner whispered as he knelt down by the mandalorian. "It translates to 'glory in death.' He was hoping one of you would kill him so he would still maintain the honor of dying in battle instead of living as a prisoner of war."

"How the hell was I supposed to know that? I see him point a blaster at my senator I am going to shoot first and ask questions later!" She stormed out of the room.

Avner watched her go. He couldn't blame her for thinking that was what the mandalorian had meant. Before he had started to learn their language, he would have made the same assumption.

* * *

><p><strong>(Author's Note: <strong>This chapter starts out weird to write. The main reason being, even though all of the back information is no longer canon I am still trying to stick as close as I can to the timeline and events that are in the comics. I spent some time going over the comics and reading through the parts where Alek appears in order to get it right. Several other events as well.

Also, just because the character list won't be up until later here are the ages of each character in this chapter (minus Uncle). Avner/ Little Runner: about 31 (flashback: about 3), Meetra: 21, Darious: 30, Justin: 42 (flashback: 14), Sasha: 41 (flashback: 13), Zeel: 36 (flashback: 8), Meca and Reca: 34 (flashback: 6)**)**


End file.
